Sindh govt suspends three SBCA officials over corruption charges

KARACHI: The Sindh government has suspended three Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) officers, including an assistant director and building inspector over corruption charges.

According to sources, the Sindh Local Government Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah has issued directives to immediately suspend SBCA assistant directors Nadeem Shaikh and Rafi Raza and building inspector Shahzad Arain over corruption charges.

Sources further said a three-member inquiry committee has been made by SBCA to investigate corruption allegations against three suspended officials.

 SBCA officer Samit Ali Khan will head the committee while Farhan Qaiser and Mushtaq Ibrahim Soomro are its members. The committee will submit an inquiry report to the SBCA director-general in 15 days.

On August 26, the Sindh government had formed a committee to review the Sindh Building Control Authority’s (SBCA) affairs and monitor the issuance of permits for construction of high-rises and approval of maps by it.

Earlier, Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) chairman Ashkar Dawar had suspended Gulberg Town Assistant Director Azhar Khan for allowing illegal constructions.

The officer had been accused of ignoring orders of higher officials and failure to take action against illegally constructed buildings in the area.

He was accused of allowing over 100 illegal construction in Gulberg Town and receiving vast sums in bribes for allowing additional building floors in violation of regulations.

DG SBCA had sought a written explanation from Director Gulberg Town after receiving numerous complaints against the deputy director. Consequently, the SBCA chief took action and suspended him with immediate effect.