4,270 officers of Sindh govt facing inquiries, SHC told.

KARACHI -- The Sindh High Court (SHC) was informed on Thursday that 4,270 officers serving in different provincial government departments were facing inquiries and departmental action had been initiated against 435 of them who had entered into plea bargain and opted for voluntary return (VR) of misappropriated/embezzled money with the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

This was disclosed by the Sindh chief secretary in compliance reports submitted through Advocate General Sindh Salman Talibuddin during hearing of two identical petitions seeking action against government officers holding posts despite entering into plea bargain and voluntary return of the misappropriated money to NAB.

In the first report, Chief Secretary Mumtaz Ali Shah submitted, in compliance with the SHC's Dec 21, 2020 order, four lists to the court disclosing the names, designations and postings of the government/civil servants, who had entered into plea bargain and/or voluntary return under NAB laws, and/or facing disciplinary or criminal proceedings.

The chief secretary submitted that NAB and Enquiries and Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) Sindh were also requested to furnish details of the officers/officials facing references/cases.

Bench orders another report in the matter be filed within 30 days

He submitted that ACE had furnished such information, disclosing that 3,835 employees of the Sindh government were facing anti-corruption FIRs.

The top provincial bureaucrat said that the information from NAB was still awaited.

However, the chief secretary said that all administrative departments had been directed to finalise disciplinary proceedings pending against the officers/officials within 30 days.

The report further stated that the departments had been further directed that in case the disciplinary proceedings had not been initiated, the same should...