RAWALPINDI:
The investigation into a mega financial scandal involving the transfer of Rs2 billion from Rawalpindi Development Authority’s (RDA) official accounts to private firms and personal accounts through Call Deposit Receipts (CDR) has been widened.
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has completed the questioning of all former RDA directors general and directors of administration and finance.
Present DG RDA Kunza Murtaza appeared before NAB as the complainant.
Although the Punjab chief secretary’s high-level fact-finding committee is yet to complete its investigation five months after it was formed, the NAB has intensified its investigation.
Two suspects have already been arrested.
According to sources, the scandal – which emerged in May this year – raised serious questions of negligence and professional misconduct by officials who had the authority to approve bank transactions.
NAB has questioned former DGs Saif Anwar Jappa, Tahir Zafar Abbasi, Nadeem Ahmed Abro, Amara Khan and Chaudhry Maqbool Ahmed Dhawala, while former directors of admin and finance Asif Janjua, Malik Ghazanfar Awan, Imran Marth and Imran Qureshi were also questioned.
The noose is tightening around those allegedly involved in the RDA scandal.
It is noteworthy that the financial scandal at RDA, which had remained undetected for six years by senior officials with signature authority over financial matters, specifically the Director General of RDA and the Director of Finance, was exposed in the second week of May this year. It is noteworthy that throughout the six-year period covered by the scandal, no former DG or Director of Administration and Finance was held accountable.
In July, the RDA administration began implementing key reforms to restore financial discipline. As an initial step, the implementation of an irregular promotion was stopped and a revised financial empowerment framework was put in place.
Suspended accounts
On the other hand, the National Accountability Bureau has directed the Rawalpindi Development Authority and the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to create escrow accounts and introduce QR code systems for all approved housing schemes.
The directive was issued during a high-level meeting chaired by the DG to discuss the creation of a digital portal for online verification of housing schemes and individual plots.
Rawalpindi NAB Chairman emphasized on transparency, accountability and public trust in real estate sector.
He directed CDA and RDA officials to provide accurate and regularly updated data to the new system, ensuring public access to real-time information on approved projects.
The Directorate General further ordered both authorities to set up blocked accounts to monitor financial transactions in housing schemes and integrate QR codes for public verification.
He said the initiative will help curb corruption, fraud and unauthorized development activities.
Senior officers from NAB, CDA, RDA and their IT departments participated in the meeting which discussed the technical framework and coordination mechanisms for timely implementation.
