Postmaster held for embezzlement

PESHAWAR: The National Accountability Bureau, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, on Thursday arrested branch postmaster Manglor, Swat district, Akhtar Hussain for his alleged involvement in embezzlement of Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) money, causing over Rs2 million loss to the national exchequer.

The BISP funds are for distribution among the poor and needy individuals in the country. The programme is meant to extend a helping hand to all those deserving persons who are in dire need of financial support so that their sufferings may be alleviated on priority basis, says a press release issued here on Thursday.

Under this programme, the money is released to the Postal Services Department for distribution through the network of local post offices.

Several complaints have been received by KP NAB against the postal authorities that money was being embezzled through fake receipts and thumb impressions, and not delivered to the needy persons. KP NAB director general initiated the inquiry into the matter to trace all those involved in the scam of the Postal Services Department.

The accused, Akhtar Hussain, while posted as the branch poster master, Manglor, embezzled the BISP funds by pasting bogus thumb impressions on the money orders. The NAB has already recovered Rs3 million in the instant case. The accused will be produced before the accountability court for obtaining his physical remand.

Published in Dawn, May 8th, 2015

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