According to the documents, the majority of funds for the National Games were provided by Government of Sindh — who supplied Rs50 million for the smooth organisation of the event — while an additional Rs10 million came from the Pakistan Sports Trust and the Pakistan Sports Board.
An estimated Rs25 million was also generated through sponsorship and, in all, the funds for the games amounted to Rs85 million. However, the bills and receipts produced for the expenses made during the National Games clearly appear to be fake and 'manufactured' and virtually carry the signature of just one person, the Games' organising secretary and chairman finance Committee, Ahmad Ali Rajput who also happens to serve as secretary of the Sindh Olympics Association (SOA).
The documents reveal that big money was made on just about everything during the orgnisation of the Games. Exorbitant bills amounting to Rs2.717 million for just tracksuits supplied to all the sports federations in the country have been shown in the account books. However, the information obtained from reliable sources prove that the tracksuits were, in fact, supplied only to the Sindh contingent.
As is the norm, the distribution of tracksuits among players and athletes is the responsibility of the provincial bodies and not of the main organisers. Bills and receipts from a seemingly 'ghost' supplier by the name of 'Babuddin Sports' have been presented along with cheques signed by the organising secretary and chairman finance committee and his treasurer.
Similarly, an amount of Rs628,400 has been shown in the account books apparently spent on the airfare and other facilities provided to as many as 27 VIPs of participating units as well as the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) officials during the Games. There is mention of the likes of former Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali, who was then president of the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) President Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat, former Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi who were either flown in for the Games or were entertained by the organisers who apparently spent daily allowance of Rs4,000 for each one of them.
The documentary proof available with Dawn as well as the inquiries made, however, contradicts this information provided by the organisers since many of the above-mentioned officials never even watched the Games for a single day.
Another major expense 'incurred' is that of Rs222,000, distributed among the organising secretaries of all the featured sports in the Games as TA/DA, which was never received. The claims, however, fall flat when the matter is investigated thoroughly.
Likewise, a total of Rs1.115 million is said to have been spent on training programme for the various disciplines, along with the setting up of camps. The facts, however, belie this claim of the organisers as well since very little money was dished out to the camps.
All the bills and receipts submitted by the organisers bear the name of a 'phony' printer on top with no address or phone number provided on the letterhead.
The printing costs of certificates, invitation cards, parking stickers and other promotional memorabilia are shown to be Rs40,000 by the Games' organisers while a huge amount of Rs4.415 million is listed as spent on decoration and catering services during the Games. Once again, a seemingly fake company by the name of 'Aziz Decoration' has been paid the said amount.
According to the receipts, the organising secretary also paid around Rs1.3 million to one 'Hamid Sports' for purchase of shoes for the players, which they never got. Fake bills bearing no phone numbers or address of the owner company is mentioned on the letterhead. Similarly, a 'Shabbir Printers' were assigned the task of printing accreditation cards worth of Rs5 million but no proper documents are provided to substantiate the purchase deal.
Cheques worth millions have been approved by the signatory, Ahmad Ali Rajput, along with the Secretary Sports at the time, Akbar Shah Bukhari who has signed as the treasurer.
It must be mentioned here that while nearly three years have passed since the National Games were held in Karachi, Ahmad Rajput is still comfortably occupying the post of Secretary of the Sindh Olympics Association which, in fact, he has held for the last eight years. Before that, he worked as treasurer for nearly four years.
Ironically, all these things have only now come to the fore as the matter was reported by the various sports bodies still awaiting their payments and is currently being investigated by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
No audit of the Sindh Olympics Association has been carried out for the last five years and one could not help wonder why the Pakistan Olympics Association (POA) has not taken action against the foul practices of the Sindh officials.
Meanwhile, anti-corruption Inspector Rao Amir, when contacted by Dawn, confirmed that they have been investigating the case for more than two months now. “Yes, there is an investigation underway and we have been recording statements of the various sports officials from the many sports federations and bodies,” said Rao. “I assure you that if the allegations proved to be correct and the people involved proven guilty, we will see to it that they are brought to justice and pay for their misdeeds,” he said.
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