SWAT: The Malakand division administration on Wednesday launched a crackdown on ‘ghost’ employees, unauthorised occupation of government property and politically influenced postings in Swat, with more than 400 employees reportedly marking attendance at their offices after years of absence.

The Water and Sanitation Services Company, Swat, has dismissed 13 employees who failed to report for duty.

The employees were reportedly recruited by MPAs over the past 13 years and had been drawing salaries while staying at home or working at the residences and hujras of lawmakers.

Malakand division commissioner Iqbal Hussain has directed the anti-corruption establishment to investigate the matter and recover the public money paid to the employees found guilty of wrongdoing.

In a separate development, the administration has retrieved a government bungalow in Swat that had reportedly been occupied by Kaleem Saeed, brother of former federal minister Murad Saeed, for several years.

The bungalow, located on the premises of the tehsil municipal administration, was only a few steps away from Kaleem Saeed’s private residence.

According to reports, the authorities had repeatedly asked him to vacate the government property, but the requests went unheeded.

The administration eventually initiated legal proceedings and secured possession of the bungalow.

Meanwhile, the Swat deputy commissioner has transferred another 22 patwaris (revenue officials) allegedly posted under political influence.

The transferred officials included Asad Khan, Hazrat Khan, Jawad, Jawad Khan, Saeedullah, Rashid Ali, Hameedullah, Fazal Ghafoor Shah, Syed Sohail Ahmed, Haq Nawaz, Nasir Khan, Sajjad Ali, Abbas Khan, Faheem

Khan, Arifullah, Ajmal Khan, Shah Faisal, Habibullah, Jamal Ahmed, Fawad Khan, Naimatullah Khan and Syed Hakeem Jan.

Published in Dawn, October 22nd, 2026