The Auqaf Department has taken disciplinary action against four officials previously posted at the shrine of Hazrat Bibi Pak Daman after an inquiry found evidence of embezzlement of donations offered by devotees.
The action was taken as part of an ongoing crackdown on financial irregularities in the department. Investigations launched on the directions of the Auqaf Board concluded that Nazrana collected at the shrine had been misappropriated, violating the trust of visitors and worshippers.
Auqaf Secretary Dr Ehsan Bhutta, who also serves as chief administrator Auqaf, ordered punishments under the Punjab Employees Efficiency, Discipline and Accountability Act, 2006.
The shrine’s former manager, Zahid Iqbal, was handed a major penalty. The department ordered forfeiture of five years of his past service and also directed recovery of Rs. 5.387 million after holding him responsible for financial loss linked to serious negligence, unusual income patterns, and failure to carry out written inspections.
A former senior clerk and accountant, Imtiaz Hussain, was given a minor penalty of withholding increments for three years. The department held him responsible for gross inefficiency, failure to properly maintain cashbooks, missing supervisory signatures, and not reporting revenue irregularities.
However, charges of financial misconduct against former gatekeeper Mohsin Shah and ex-caretaker Zafar Iqbal could not be legally established.
Despite that, a departmental spokesperson said administrative restrictions have been entered into the service records of all the officials involved. They have been permanently barred from future postings involving cash-sensitive assignments, donation collection points, or field revenue duties.
What’s this law of fine and stoppage of increments and barred from sensitive postings.
Their services should have been terminated.