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Reference against official for fake award list sent to Establishment Division.

GILGIT: A reference against assistant commissioner Diamer has been sent to the Establishment Division, while those who allegedly prepared bogus compensation papers have been suspended.

“We have taken legal action against the officials and investigation is under way,” Mehdi Shah, chief minister Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) told reporters at his residence on Tuesday.

He said it was fortunate that the scam surfaced before payments to the people likely to be affected by the Diamer-Bhasha Dam were made since it would have resulted in huge losses to the national exchequer. He said the persons responsible would be punished.

The team of officials who carried out the measurement of land or prepared the award of land has been replaced. “Measurement of land will be carried out all over again.” The G-B government has referred the case to the federal government to decide which agency should investigate the scam that has rocked the region.

The officials, including the assistant commissioner, a tehsildar and two naib tehsildars prepared a forged award list of over Rs3 billion for barren land in Thore valley, which is likely to be submerged after the construction of Diamer-Bhasha Dam. They received over Rs100 million besides timber worth billions of rupees. Officials exaggerated current market prices, after they were bribed by people, including non-residents.

The G-B government has constituted a committee, headed by the G-B Home Secretary, Asif Bilal, to investigate the scam. The government has stopped disbursing funds to people affected by the Diamer-Bhasha Dam.

A number of bureaucrats were transferred after the mega scam came to light last week. Deputy Commissioner Diamer Sibtain Ahmed was directed to report to services and general administration department as a consequence.http://tribune.com.pk/story/330545/diamer-bhasha-dam-reference-against-official-for-fake-award-list-sent-to-establishment-division/