LAHORE – The Punjab Department of Auqaf and Religious Affairs has launched a major crackdown on alleged corruption, financial irregularities and embezzlement of donations collected at shrines, issuing final recovery notices worth millions of rupees to several current and former officials.
According to the reports, the action is part of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s vision of a corruption-free Punjab.
Former Auqaf Manager of the shrine of Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh (RA) in Lahore, Tahir Maqsood, who has been dismissed from service, has been served recovery notices of Rs11.32 million and Rs1.87 million over alleged misconduct and irregularities in cash collections during the annual Urs celebrations.
Former Auqaf Administrator Sheikh Jameel Ahmed, currently serving as a junior-scale stenographer in the Sargodha Zone office, has received recovery notices of Rs9.26 million and Rs2.81 million over alleged financial misconduct related to the Urs and cash recovery.
Former Research Assistant at the Markaz-e-Maarif-e-Auliya, Mian Mir Lahore, Hafiz Javed Shaukat, has been issued recovery notices of Rs4.32 million and Rs2.10 million over alleged financial irregularities during the Urs and Eid Milad-un-Nabi celebrations.
In the Okara corruption case, former Auqaf Manager Shafqat Abbas, who was dismissed from service, has been ordered to repay Rs1.20 million and has also been served another recovery notice of Rs3.53 million.
In the same case, former rent clerk and current junior clerk Zawar Hussain has been directed to pay Rs1.20 million.
Another accused in the Okara case, former senior clerk Amir Sattar, who was also dismissed from service, has been ordered to repay Rs3.61 million and Rs7.11 million under two separate decisions.
Former Auqaf Manager and current Audit Officer Zahid Iqbal has been issued a recovery notice of Rs5.39 million in connection with alleged corruption involving donation boxes at the shrine of Hazrat Bibi Pak Daman (RA).
Similarly, former Auqaf Manager and current computer operator Tariq Mahmood Najmi has been served a recovery notice of Rs1.32 million over alleged irregularities in donations collected at the shrine of Hazrat Baba Bulleh Shah (RA).
The Auqaf Department said all the officials concerned have filed appeals before the Punjab Chief Secretary, acting as the appellate authority, and their cases will be decided in accordance with the applicable laws and regulations.
