Two anti-corruption officers arrested for bribery

GILGIT: The Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) of Gilgit-Baltistan has intensified its crackdown on corruption, arresting six officials from various departments, including a former ACE Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) and a former ACE prosecutor, on charges of bribery.

According to a statement issued by the anti-graft body, the two former officers had previously secured pre-arrest bail, but their bail was revoked after a recent court ruling on Monday. Following this, the ACE took action, with initial investigations uncovering solid evidence against the accused. An FIR was subsequently lodged, and both individuals were taken into custody for further questioning.

The FIR, available with HUM News English, reveals that former DSP Abdul Bari and former prosecutor Muhammad Faqir summoned the complainant, Nusrat Hussain, a resident of Sharot currently living in Sultanabad, Gilgit, to the ACE police station and detained him for several hours. During this time, they allegedly demanded a bribe of Rs5 million.

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A few days later, Muhammad Faqir visited the complainant’s residence in Sultanabad and collected Rs2.5 million. The complainant claims to have video evidence of this transaction. Subsequently, both accused allegedly returned to his house after another few days and took another Rs1 million, for which the complainant says he has audio evidence. He claimed that the accused were now pressuring him for the remaining Rs1.5 million, which he cannot pay.

Following the complaint, a three-member committee was formed to review the audio-visual evidence, which recommended filing a case against the accused. On April 8, 2025, after approval from the DG ACE, a formal case was registered.

Four Water and Power officers held for corruption

In another development, the ACE arrested four officers from the Water and Power Department following allegations of financial misconduct in the construction of the 2-megawatt Yachalto Power Project in Astore. The arrested officers—two Executive Engineers (XEN), a Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO), and a Sub-Engineer—were found to have made fake and excessive payments and engaged in substandard construction practices, potentially jeopardizing the project’s output. An FIR has been filed against them, and they are currently in custody while the investigation continues.

The arrested officers include XEN Sher Dil, XEN Hemat Baig, Sub-Engineer Zeeb Alam, and SDO Saleem. Investigations have revealed that these actions may affect the project’s production capacity, which is critical for the region’s energy needs.

In a separate anti-corruption operation, a three-member ACE team conducted an inspection at the Kargah Power Project Complex, uncovering significant underperformance in electricity generation.

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The newly commissioned 6-megawatt plant was found to be producing only 2.9 megawatts—less than half its intended output. Meanwhile, the 4-megawatt plant was operating far below capacity, with three of its four units non-functional. The sole operational unit was generating a mere 674 kilowatts, raising serious concerns about mismanagement.

As a result, the ACE team has submitted its findings to the relevant authorities, with plans to identify and hold accountable those responsible for the underperformance.