MUZAFFARABAD: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government has initiated disciplinary proceedings under Rule 5(1) of the Efficiency and Discipline Rules, 1977, against six officials of the Food Department for being unable to compile departmental records, forgery, disobedience and misconduct.

The officials include Munzam Akram and Muhammad Asif Riaz, Assistant Food Controllers (B-15), serving as in charge of depots at Jatlan and Mirpur, respectively; Shaukat Ali, Senior Clerk (B-14), serving as in charge of the depot at Charhoi; Mazhar Ahmad, Food Grain Inspector (B-12), serving as in charge of the depot at Hamlat; Sajid Hussain, Food Grain Inspector (B-12), previously in charge of the depot at Hameedabad; and Asad Javed, Food Grain Supervisor (B-9), serving as in charge of the depot at Kala Dub.

According to a notification, an inquiry committee has been constituted with Abdul Sattar, Assistant Director/Accounts Officer of the Directorate of Food Rawalpindi, as its chairman.

Abrar Ahmad Mir and Junaid Nazir Kiani, District Food Controllers in Neelum and Bagh, have been appointed as a member and secretary of the committee, respectively.

As per the notification, Director Food Abdul Hameed Kiani has been designated as the Authorized Officer under the Efficiency and Discipline Rules of 1977. The committee has been directed to submit its report to the competent authority within the stipulated time frame, a maximum of 60 days.

Surprisingly, none of the officials have so far been removed from the positions where they are alleged to have violated standing instructions and committed misconduct.

When questioned, Mr Kiani told Dawn that if found guilty upon completion of the inquiry, the accused officials would lose their postings apart from facing additional penalties.

Heroin seized

Police in the southern AJK town of Dadyal have apprehended two drug dealers during a routine check at the Dhan Gali checkpoint and seized 1.05kg of heroin worth hundreds of thousands of rupees.

A police spokesman said on Monday that during the inspection of a vehicle (registration number STS 9840) arriving from Rawalpindi, the police team, led by SHO Dadyal Rashid Habib Masoodi, recovered the contraband from the possession of Waqar Ali Jutt and Junaid Ali Rajput, residents of Mirpur.

An FIR had been registered against the accused under Section 9C of the Control of Narcotic Substances Act (CNSA), and further investigation was underway, the spokesman added.

Published in Dawn, November 19th, 2024