QUETTA: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Balochistan on Wednesday filed a reference against the former deputy commissioner of Kohlu district, officials of the communication and works department (C&WD) and 16 others for alleged corruption in road projects initiated under the Kohlu Development Package.

The deputy commissioner and project director, Ejaz Haider Shah and C&WD officials Zahir Baloch, Aslam Qambrani and Fazal Mohammad Zarkoon have been nominated in the reference

According to the NAB probe into the project, the federal government had released millions of rupees under the Kohlu development package in 2008. However, the funds could not be utilised as per the plan.

In response to a complaint lodged with the NAB, the inquiry was initiated that revealed that the government officials in connivance with the contractors had embezzled Rs6.5 million out of Rs25m earmarked for the road projects, including from Tambo to Pazza, and from Duki to Pazza.

The NAB after gathering evidence had filed the reference against the suspects in the accountability court Quetta.

Published in Dawn, May 19th, 2022