Liaquat Qaimkhani constructed 71 parks 'on paper': sources

KARACHI: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has decided to file three more corruption references against former director-general of parks and horticulture of Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), Liaquat Qaimkhani, following more revelations made by the documents seized from his residence, ARY News reported on Friday.

NAB sources told ARY News that the former DG Parks and Horticulture Department of Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), Liaquat Qaimkhani, is involved in around Rs1 billion corruption in term of construction 71 parks.

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It is revealed that the corruption money had been distributed among different KMC officers and politicians by Qaimkhani when he was working as KMC’s adviser on parks in 2017 despite no notification is found for his appointment on the position.

The former DG Parks had also received Rs100,000 from the KMC as pension after his retirement.

Sources said that the assets recovered from Qaimkhani’s house worth more than Rs10 billion, whereas, the worth of gold stands at more than Rs150 million.

NAB officials have also seized a file containing funds details of Bagh Ibn-e-Qasim, whereas, some other documents revealed his fake companies.

The anti-corruption watchdog officials have also found financial irregularities of millions of rupees by Qaimkhani in expenditure of funds released for Bagh Ibn-e-Qasim and Jheel Park.

Sources confirmed that the former DG Parks will face cases of assets beyond known sources and financial irregularities by NAB Karachi, whereas, the anti-corruption watchdog will proceed fake accounts’ case in Rawalpindi against him. Qaimkhani will be transferred to Rawalpindi for the proceedings of fake accounts case by the NAB, sources added.

It may be noted here that Liaquat Qaimkhani was considered as one of the most powerful officers of Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) for having political influences which allows him to avoid opening of a thorough investigation over his alleged corrupt practices.

In 2003, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had initiated probe against him over allegation of Rs30 million corruption, which was later suspended.

The anti-corruption department had also opened investigation into corruption reports against Qaimkhani in construction of Shaheed Benazir Park which met the same fate and closed by the concerned authorities.

Earlier on September 19, Liaquat Qaimkhani had been arrested by NAB Rawalpindi team during a raid at his residence in Karachi in connection with Bagh Ibn-e-Qasim case. The team during the raid at his [Liaquat Qaimkhani] house recovered eight luxury cars, bonds and latest arms in large numbers.