SHC orders removal of all NAB-tainted govt officers

In an ‘important’ decision, the Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday ordered the removal of all such government officers who were either convicted in corruption cases in the past or were released on bail, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

A two-member bench of the SHC, headed by Justice Salahuddin Panhwar, heard the case relating to retaining the NAB-tainted officers in government departments.  

The court also ordered that such officers would not be appointed on any post in the future.

The SHC also directed the Sindh chief secretary to get its verdict implemented and submit to it a report. 

Justice Panhwar remarked just imagine what these convicted government officers would be doing in their departments. “No one bothers,” he regretted. 

NAB, on the occasion, submitted to the court the list of officials who were either facing corruption charges or had been convicted in these cases.

According to the report, 494 officers voluntarily compensated for the loss caused to the national exchequer, 41 entered into a ‘plea bargain’ with the NAB, 108 are facing references for corruption, while 71 officers were convicted.   

However, it added, the convicts had appealed decisions of the accountability courts (ACs) in high courts.

Focal person, on the occasion, told the court that 14 officers of the Board of Revenue (BoR) were handed down penalties by the ACs.

When the court asked the assistant advocate general Sindh as to on which posts these officers were serving, he replied that out of 14 officers, 10 had been removed from their posts.

The report further tells that three officers of the local government department were sacked because they had been convicted in corruption cases.