KARACHI, Oct 1: The Anti-Corruption Establishment has registered a case against market committee officials of new Sabzi Mandi, including the Director-General of Agriculture Department’s Extension Wing, Naeem Korejo, ex-administrator Ghulam Nabi Jakhrani, committee secretary Saeedul Hasan Zaidi and section officer Ashiq Hussain.

The case (FIR No 76/2007) was registered on a complaint of Nazeer Khan, Asmatullah and other traders against the market committee officials for indulging in financial irregularities, illegal allotments and depriving them of Rs7 million.

Before registering the FIR, ACE Deputy Director Allaudin Abbasi and Inspector Chaudhry Hameedullah along with Karachi Building Control Authority officials paid a surprise visit to the vegetable and fruit market off the Super Highway last Saturday.

They were surprised to see that the sites marked for a fire station, parking lots, footpaths and installation of weighing machine in the layout plan, had been illegally allotted.

In the layout plan, which was submitted to the High Court of Sindh in March 2000 by the market committee, a total of 3,358 shops and auction sheds were shown but now the number of shops and sheds has crossed 6,000.

A number of people who had auction shed in the old Sabzi Mandi, located on University Road, were driven from pillar to post to get allotment orders for the shops and shed on the new premises after the market was shifted to the Super Highway. The affected traders had urged the authorities concerned that the above case be transferred to the National Accountability Bureau and corrupt officials be taken to task.

Fresh Fruit Merchants and Growers Association President Muhammad Javed recalls that the matter pertaining to the Sabzi Mandi was referred to the provincial ombudsman for investigation and recommendations on the directive of the Supreme Court.

The ombudsman in its reports had referred the cases of corruption to the NAB but so far no action has been taken in this regard.

The association head expressed surprise that challan forms and allotments letters were being issued without the approval of the layout plan of the proposed Sabzi Mandi on the Northern Bypass. He appealed to the authorities, particularly the NAB, to take notice.