LAHORE: Lahore Development Authority (LDA) administration has issued final show-cause notices under the Punjab Employees Efficiency, Discipline and Accountability (Peeda) Act-2006 to two officers for removing them from service after the charges related to their corrupt practices in the process of allowing plots exemption and allotment in Johar Town were proved.

Notices have also been issued to another three officers for imposing various major penalties on them in the same case, Dawn has learnt.

According to documents available with Dawn, the notice has been issued to BS-18 deputy director Mr Hassaan Bilal, stating that he proposed and processed creation of duplicate files number JT-NB-II-2152, JT-NB-II-2990 & JT-AP-1061 (unpassed) despite negative reports, and is hence guilty of negligence and misconduct apparently for personal gains.

Since the inquiry proved him as being fully involved in the case, the LDA director general, in the show cause notice, states: “I have found no reason to differ with the findings and recommendations of the inquiry officer. Hence, the charges leveled against you have been proved for which you are liable to be removed from service under section 4(b)(v) of Peeda Act-2006. You are called upon to show cause within seven days of the receipt of this notice, as to why this penalty may not be imposed upon you.”

In another notice, Mr Sibtain Raza Qureshi, (BS-18 / Deputy Director Law) has been found guilty of granting approval for creation of duplicate file of JT-NB-II-2152 and JT-AP-1061 (unpassed) despite negative reports.

“Therefore, you are liable to be imposed the major penalty of dismissal from service under Peeda Act-2006,” reads the notice.

Mr Haroon-ur-Rashid (BS-19 officer / director, now retired) has been found guilty of granting approval to the creation of a duplicate file No C(unpassed) despite negative reports.

“You are liable to be imposed penalty of 40 percent pension to be withdrawn under Peeda Act,” the show cause notice says. He has also been given one week time to reply to the notice.

Mr Sakhaawat Ali (BS-17/Assistant Director) under Peeda Act has been censured for proposing approval for the creation of the duplicate file No JT-NB-II-2990 despite negative remarks.

Similarly, a penalty of four-stage reduction in current pay scale has been imposed on Mr Sarfraz Ahmad Khokhar (BS-17/assistant director) for proposing and processing creation of duplicate file Nos JT-NB-II-2152 and JT-AP-1061.

“Giving an opportunity of last hearing to the guilty officers is a legal requirement before implementing imposition of major and minor penalties on them. That is why the aforementioned officers have been provided this opportunity,” an official source told Dawn on Monday.

The source says that disciplinary proceedings under Peeda Act against another five officers, for being involved in Rs875m scam, are also underway. The officers had executed an agreement with private people for giving them ‘specific’ plots against the land they had surrendered to the authority in Johar Town under the exemption category on the pretext of court order, the source adds.

The disciplinary proceedings are also underway against Moazzam Rasheed, director Housing-VII, Sibtain Raza Qureshi, deputy director law – (the then director), Muhammad Irfan, deputy director law, Muhammad Babar Ikram, deputy director and Rai Shah Jahan, estate officer of Housing-VII on the charges of inefficiency and negligence.

Mudasir Ahmed Shah, additional director general is supervising the proceedings underway against the accused officials.

Published in Dawn, October 8th, 2024