ACE Dept issues notices to SBCA officials

KARACHI: The Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) Department has launched an investigation against officers of the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) for failing to take action against illegal construction and encroachments.

ACE Sindh East Zone has initiated an inquiry but sources informed that any action is unlikely to be taken as the anti-graft watchdog regularly takes such initiatives ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr. The SBCA had been the first target of the ACE and will be followed by District Administration and the Karaci Municipal Corporation (KMC).

This has been ongoing since the past four years and letters are issued but no action is taken. ACE Department Assistant Director Farooq Bugti has issued five notices to SCBA’s Deputy Director Anti-Encroachment, Deputy Director Buildings and other officers.

A letter has also been Deputy Director Demolition Rashid Hussain, focal person Ali Mehdi, while two officers Deputy Director Chazil Shah and Assistant Director Faizan Rashid have been summoned for allowing illegal construction of four departments.

In a separate letter, Deputy Director Nadeem Arbab, Assistant Director Mubashir Shaikh and building inspector Sajid Khan has been summoned for allowing illegal construction in Gulshan-e-Iqbal. Another letter has been issued to Director Safdar Magsi and Assistant Director Yawar Abbas for allowing illegal construction in Shah Faisal Town. The fifth letter has been issued summoning officials to bring records and for failing to stop illegal construction in Gulshan-Iqbal.

ACE Department Assistant Director Farooq Bugti told MM News that there is a sudden rise in corruption in several organisations during the month of Ramazan and they receive several complaints. He maintained that the inquiries are conducted after approval from higher officials.

Bugti was asked about the reopening of enquiries before Eid every year and no action is taken against the corrupt officials despite the filing of cases against them. Bugti strongly denied the allegation that ACE Department was complacent but said the judicial system was responsible for the punishments.