LAHORE: Chief Secretary Zahid Akhtar Zaman has rejected the appeals filed by the former administrator of Data Darbar and ex-manager against the penalties imposed by the Auqaf & Religious Affairs Department, Punjab, for misappropriation of cash-box collections.

The Auqaf department secretary had imposed penalties on former administrator Jameel Ahmed of reduction to a lower post and pay scale for five years, forfeiture of five years of past service, and recovery of Rs9.266 million, while ex-manager Tahir Maqsood was dismissed from service and ordered to pay Rs11.325m.

Member-IV (Inquiries), S&GAD, Imtiaz Ahmed, who was appointed as hearing officer, afforded both appellants an opportunity of personal hearing and, after considering their submissions and examining the case record, inquiry report and available evidence, he submitted his findings to the chief secretary.

The appellants raised various contentions, including a decline in cash-box collections compared with the previous year’s amounts, opening of cash boxes in the presence of the Cash Boxes Committee etc, in the proceedings.

Probe against Auqaf ex-secretary, former director is ‘in process’

However, the hearing officer observed that they failed to produce substantive material capable of rebutting the evidence available on record.

The departmental report further established that an unusual and persistent decline in cash-box receipts had been observed during the tenure of the previous administration, whereas a significant increase in collections was recorded after the commencement of centralised monitoring.

The report also referred to the alleged unauthorised withdrawal of funds from cash boxes, misuse or leakage of CCTV footage, and other related matters.

A two-member inquiry committee, comprising the Auqaf religious affairs director general and finance director, had been constituted to investigate the matter and found three of the four charges proved, while the fourth proved partially. It recommended disciplinary action against the two officials.

Upon comprehensive examination of the case record, inquiry report, appeals and the hearing officer’s findings, it was observed that alleged continued misappropriation and misuse of cash-box collections had caused a loss of millions of rupees to the department.

On the basis of the hearing officer’s report, Chief Secretary Zahid Akhtar Zaman held that the appellants had failed to substantiate their respective positions or dislodge the evidence available against them. Accordingly, upon completion of all requisite legal and departmental proceedings, the chief secretary rejected the appeals of Jameel Ahmed and Tahir Maqsood as devoid of merit and unsupported by the record.

Former auqaf department secretary Dr Tahir Raza Bukhari and former director Khalid Mehmood Sandhu were also accused of alleged financial irregularities in public funds and a recovery of around Rs34 million from them was recommended.

After approval of the chief secretary, Senior Member Board of Revenue (SMBR) Nabeel Javed, in April this year, was entrusted with the task to conduct a probe into the allegations against the two senior officers.

On Dawn’s query about the status of the probe against the two senior officers, Mr Javed said it is “in process”.

Published in Dawn, September 26th, 2026