KARACHI: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) is investigating embezzlement of funds worth millions of rupees in Information and Archives Department of the Sindh government, sources said.
In a bid to escape his arrest, Secretary Information and Archives Zulfikar Shalwani has sought pre-arrest bail from the Sindh High Court which was approved on surety bonds of Rs 500,000.
The secretary prayed to the court that NAB officials were issuing him notices, and that he was being harassed.
Insiders told Customs Today that deputy director (automation), Information Department, Roshan Tabassum, forwarded a complaint to the National Accountability Court (NAB) bringing to their notice large-scale corruption in the department.
With that complaint, the NAB team raided the information department offices and checked the financial record which was missing, sources say.
The information department launched a project namely Facilitation Center at a cost of Rs 120 million. However the total funds spent on the said project was just Rs 5 million, sources added.
Moreover, more than Rs 2 billion were allegedly embezzled by over billing to various media campaigns, sources said, adding that millions of rupees were eaten up for the project Digital Library and launching of FM radio. No progress has been made on these projects. However, the purchases have been shown in millions of rupees, the sources said.