LAHORE: The Pakistan Railways vigilance directorate has completed a preliminary inquiry into the bogus allotment of dozens of residences in Lahore, registering a case against an employee for being involved in the malpractice in connivance with others.

The scam has also unearthed Rs100n corruption, Dawn has learnt.

Office sources told Dawn on Friday that PR Vigilance Directorate Director General Abdul Rab had also sent its preliminary investigation report to the Ministry of Railways.

According to a source, the inquiry proved that 200 railway quarters were allotted unlawfully during the recent years in Lahore and workshop divisions. The officers involved in the scam included the estate inspectors and officers from the Lahore headquarters.

The PR also registered a case against Adil Shahzad (upper division clerk) for getting a bungalow (260-B) allotted in his name. The accused had also rented out servant quarters of the official residence to various people.

The PR vigilance DG has also recommended action to be taken by the ministry against the officers concerned. For further information, Lahore PR SP Mughalpura has been appointed to head a committee in this regard.

It is pertinent to mention that a PR vigilance team detected bogus allotments of several official apartments on complaints and sought guidance for appropriate action. The quarters are currently under use of officials for allegedly carrying out ‘immoral and illegal’ activities.

In view of the bogus allotments of the official quarters, the PR’s vigilance wing launched a survey of the PR colonies in Lahore and workshop divisions.

According to documents, the Lahore workshop division DS Muhammad Khalid Khan also informed the PR chief executive officer through a letter he has written recently. Through the letter titled “Guideline Regarding Bogus / Fake Allotments”, the DS apprised the CEO about various complaints regarding fake allotments of quarters in workshop division. “A survey was also conducted in this regard during which allotment of 58 quarters was found bogus. The allotments/notices have been issued from the PR headquarters without any approval,” the letter revealed and sought guideline to proceed further.

Published in Dawn, October 25th, 2025