LAHORE: On complaints of auctioning of properties without following the laid down procedure and other irregularities, the Punjab Cooperatives Board for Liquidation (PCBL) has been dissolved.

Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif directed dissolution of the board during a meeting held here on Monday in which the Anti-Corruption Establishment director general presented a preliminary report on irregularities in the PCBL and Punjab Housing and Town Planning Agency affairs.

The chief minister took stern notice of irregularities in the auction of properties of the PCBL as legal requirements had been set aside for selling precious land of the board.

He suspended the board chairman, besides ordering dissolution of the board itself immediately.

He said the ACE should take action as per law against the persons who committed irregularities and get FIRs registered against them while meeting legal demands.

He also ordered a complete audit of the PCBL through the best firm in this regard.

He said a new board of Punjab Cooperatives Board for Liquidation should be constituted and immediately reorganised.

The PCBL had been formed to liquidate assets of the defunct cooperative societies and pay along with mark-up dues of the coop scam victims.

The board paid all the victims their dues and a number of properties of the cooperative societies were even left behind.

The chief minister also took notice of irregularities in Punjab Housing and Town Planning Agency and sought action against the officials responsible for wrongdoings in the allotment of plots in low-income housing scheme in Quaidabad, Khushab district.

He ordered suspension of those responsible for allotting plots illegally and said that action be taken against those violating the laid down procedure.

Published in Dawn, February 21st, 2017