LARKANA:A three-member Inquiry Committee started its investigation into the fake domiciles issue here on Thursday.
The committee has been constituted by the Chief Secretary Sindh after massive complaints appeared on social media that a large number of bogus domicile certificates have been issued from various districts of the province which had ruined their future.
The committee at the very outset recorded statements of additional deputy commissioner-I Imdad Ali Abro, in charge of domicile branch and other relevant staff, inspected record room and within 15 minutes detected three bogus domiciles.
The committee also found 250 suspected domiciles that were issued and took over the entire record. All the employees posted in the domicile branch were directed to report to the Commissioner’s office forthwith who will be replaced by another experienced staff.
The committee is headed by Qazi Shahid Pervez, Senior Member, Board of Revenue (BoR), Sindh and other members including Secretary, Services and Coordination Department, Government of Sindh, Saeed Ahmed Mangnejo and Deputy Director PRC, BoR, Nazir Ahmed Qureshi.
Briefing the media persons at deputy commissioner’s office, Qazi Shahid, who is chairman of the committee said that within 15 minutes, three suspected cases surfaced when a computer was checked which was kept in the record room.
He said: “If we go through the record then it is presumed that 80% of the domiciles could be correct but it is also essential to physically verify 20% of the available record. I cannot say anything before that because we are honestly and truthfully inspecting the record and conducting an inquiry to find the truth and facts.”
Shahid said during the last two years, 21,199 computerized domicile certificates were issued from Larkana out of which thorough investigation of 250 would be completed within seven days. He said there were several cases that belonged to outside Sindh, hence, their probe would be carried out through other institutions.
He said there were more complaints in Larkana, hence, they will stay here on Friday and then will proceed to other districts of Sindh to conduct the enquiry. He said if needed, the task and period of the committee could be extended for which Sindh government would grant permission. He said responsibilities would be fixed and a report would be submitted mentioning names of the negligent officers/officials so that stern action could be taken against them for violating standing rules and regulations.
The Inquiry Committee member Saeed Ahmed Mangnejo said that suspected records had been confiscated and they would go to those people who had been issued domiciles to personally verify and check their credentials such as CNICs, residential and educational qualification certificates.
He claimed that no candidate appeared before the committee with solid proofs today, adding, however, some social media activists came but they were told to produce solid proofs. Mangnejo said the entire domicile branch record was computerized adding some record might not be available in the branch. He said: “We are trying our best to stop such malpractices in the future.”