CHITRAL, May 4: Former district nazim and central leader of ruling PML Shahzada Mohyuddin has called upon the chief secretary NWFP to initiate inquiry into alleged financial irregularities and other kinds of corruption by the DCO of Chitral.

Addressing a press conference here on Thursday, he alleged that the DCO had deposited Rs2.5 million, collected under the head of tax on gemstones imported from Afghanistan, in his personal account. He said the amount was mentioned neither in the budget of the district government nor that of the tehsil municipal administration.

He said employees of the TMA had not been paid salary for three months because the DCO had been resisting monetary demands of the TMA. He said the works department awarded a Rs0.5 million contract to one Mohammad Nadir for repair of the residence of the DCO but practically the DCO himself was doing the job of contractor.

“A TMA vehicle is being used to transport material, employees of the works department and jawans of the border police force are carrying out labour work while the DCO receives cheque in the name of the contractor,” Mr Mohyuddin said.

He said that in 1993, the district administration had used a large number of its vehicles to transport jawans of Chitral Scouts participating in an operation clean-up but compensation money was paid just a few months ago.

The DCO disbursed the money in a shady way; instead of cheques he made payment in cash and deducted 2 percent in the name of stationery charges. He alleged that the money might also be disbursed to bogus claimants.

Mr Mohyuddin alleged that a Land Cruiser jeep of the DCO office was being used by family members of the DCO in Abbottabad and fuel charges were being drawn from the Chitral district exchequer. The vehicle is meant for VVIP duty.