Rawalpindi:
The chief secretary of Punjab took note of the alleged major financial scandal of 1.94 billion rupees at the Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) and summoned the Director General of the GDR (DG) Kinza Murtaza to appear before a special investigation committee in Lahore.
There is strong indications that it could be withdrawn from her post and made an officer in special service (OSD).
Surveys on the scandal are already underway by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and in the anti-corruption establishment.
According to sources, between 2016 and 2017, payments totaling 1.94 billion rupees were made to various companies and individuals from the GDR account via call deposit (CDR).
These banking transactions have never been examined by the DGS or the then administrators of the administrator and finance, who owned the signature authority during the period in question.
This complete lack of surveillance has paralyzed financial discipline and transparency mechanisms within the GDR, sources said.
The professional fault remained uncontrolled until the first week of May 2025, when she was newly appointed director and funding, Qazi Sohaib, launched an investigation and discovered irregularities.
In a related development, the former deputy director Finance Junaid Taj Bhatti – who then served as DG Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) in Siackot – experienced mysterious circumstances on May 13 in his Sialkot office.
After the discovery, the GDR DG first wrote to the secretary to the Punjab for the housing request to officially start an internal investigation. However, before receiving an answer, she sent letters to the CEO of the Punjab anti-corruption department and president of the NAB, and the DG FIA, requesting their involvement in the investigation.
The decision would have made the competent provincial secretary angry, who expressed a strong dissatisfaction in a video liaison meeting on the issue that was sent to external agencies prematurely, sources said.
Meanwhile, Nab acquired the relevant files and launched an official survey. On June 3, the regional director of the anti-corruption establishment in Rawalpindi summoned and recorded declarations of 13 officers and employees of current and retired GDR.
Sources indicate that the CEO can be removed from its position and reassigned as OSD after its appearance before the Committee.
