KARACHI, June 25: The ministry of law, justice and human rights, in a complaint lodged by Mian Aftab Ahmed pertaining to alleged agricultural cooperatives societies scandal, had requested the deputy secretary of the ministry to consider the case for proper inquiry at any level by the federal government.

However, according to Mian Aftab, even after the passage of a considerable amount of time, he has not been informed about the progress, if any, in the case.

He pointed out that the ministry of law, justice and human rights had addressed its letter in this respect to the deputy secretary in May, last year.

Mian Aftab, in his statement before the Human Rights Wing of the ministry, had claimed that the authorities in the cooperative department and cooperative banks had created some 80,000 bogus agricultural cooperatives thrift and credit societies consisting of 2.5 million landless peasants, allegedly misappropriating more than Rs4 billion in the past.

He had demanded that an inquiry be conducted into the matter and to ensure that no innocent person is arrested.

Mian Aftab was of the view that the recovery procedure was clearly laid down in the Cooperative Act 1925, which is that if any borrower fails to refund the amount within the stipulated period of six months, the crop would then be sold in the open market.—APP