KARACHI: Director, Shamsheer Khan Qureshi made a startling admission, revealing that millions of rupees in bribes were paid to the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) and the Cooperative Registrar Department in exchange for protecting illegal constructions. The amount was collected from society members as maintenance fees and handed over to these departments to prevent them from taking action and to ensure their silence. Shockingly, when members submitted written complaints about these violations, the officials, instead of taking action, resorted to blackmailing the committee through various means.

Director's recent statement has confirmed the allegations that had already been leveled against the current committee, including illegal constructions, financial irregularities, and abuse of authority. Following this admission, members have expressed serious concerns about the committee, raising doubts over the integrity and transparency of the society’s administration. This issue falls under Section 22(c) of the Sindh Cooperative Societies Act 2020, which states that any individual involved in or accused of a crime may be declared ineligible to hold any office within the society.

Informed sources referred that the current committee is allegedly planning to obstruct the upcoming elections and manipulate the process to ensure the victory of their preferred candidates. Notably, in 2023, Secretary Imran Arwan was also included in the election process on the basis of a "gift deed," and the society's control was handed over to him. Over the past two years, the committee has neither conducted any financial audits nor demonstrated transparency in managing the society's funds.

Members have said that the current committee should be removed immediately, and a full forensic audit of the society’s finances should be carried out to uncover the truth. They have also asked for strict legal action against the officials involved from the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) and the Cooperative Registrar Department. The members have already submitted a written complaint to the Anti-Corruption Department. They are urging Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah to take immediate notice of this serious issue, order a fair investigation, and if the claims are proven true, make sure FIRs are filed and legal action is taken against those responsible.

Published in The Daily National Courier, July, 21 2025

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