Chairman Anti-Corruption Department Sindh Farhat Junejo spurns offers of graft and fights corruption

Here are excerpts of his letter written to the Sindh Anti-Corruption Minister:

Dear Sir: Right before Eid, I was given ‘lifafa’ as share of corruption for being Chairman. I returned the lifafa to Director and told him my Religious and other reasons for not accepting it. I told him that this money is tainted with blood of people because it has been extorted from Hospitals, Food department, Education dept, etc; and I will not be able to see my face if I accept it. Next day told same to Shahriyar Mahar AAG (private person) who runs the corruption ’system’ in our Anti Corruption department in connivance with the director. From that time onward I was being seen as a threat to corruption ‘system’.

2) When you called myself and Director for meeting at your residence in presence of Shahriyar Mahar, I mentioned that I don’t get involved in corruption and complained for undue interference in my office.

3) Director Anti Corruption office gave outlook of market for corruption and extortion. They were running Anti Corruption directorate purely on monetary / corruption considerations without an iota of focus on professionalism, public service, uplifting image / pride of our dept. A dept that needs to be pride of Sindh Govt was being run like an auction house. Reportedly, Corruption ‘System’ was minting Rs 6/7 crore per month.

4) I had categorically told Director to not to mint corruption money from posting / transfer orders but Shahriyar Mahar and Director extorted Rs 15 lacs each from some newly posted Deputy Directors and Rs 5 to 10 lacs from each Circle Officer.

5) Being Chairman, I became extremely uncomfortable with the situation. Media and Social media also started reporting about pathetic situation of our department. At that time, I had offered to proceed on long leave.

6) You had called me 2 weeks back for one to one meeting and told me that you had trust in me to straighten our department. Asked my advice how Dept.’s image can be restored after heavy bout of extortion/ corruption by Director Anti Corruption and Shahriyar Mahar and subsequent media reports. I had mentioned in that meeting that corruption monthlies need to be stopped and bad reputed officers need to be shunted out. Then yourself told me to devise plan of action by next week to straighten our department. I was extremely happy and thought I could make a difference in such environment and provide relief to Public.

7) I devised a plan of action for strengthening internal accountability and curbing corruption. On Monday 20th May, you again called me to discuss the plan of action I had devised. When I reached your residence at given time, after brief chat you said you will discuss plan of action next time.

8) On Tuesday night (28 th May), you called me on phone and told me that you will call me on Wednesday to discuss plan of action that I had devised to uplift our image and curb corruption in our department.

9) I never got a call from you or your staff on Wednesday. Instead I learnt today that you had complained against me and wanted me transferred.

10) There is no harm in transfer as I am very happy to get out of that suffocating environment where corruption ’system’ rules and ‘paidageers’ run the show. I was a misfit in that environment. But any complaint against me appears unreasonable in view of confidence and trust you had shown in me only few days before to straighten the dept. In fact, before I had myself offered to proceed on leave after undue interference in my office matters, interference in my functions, interference of Shahriyar Mahar (private person running the ‘system’) in my dept, conversion of Director’s office into auction house of corruption, etc, etc.

11) Corruption money has serious consequences. It destroys one’s health, kismet, fate, faith, children and many other things that are valued. It has potential to throw a person from top to bottom of things. Allah Saein gives Rizk (money) and power to test humans. It is only Allah who gives Rizk and no one else can give Rizk. It is upto human to earn Rizk through Hilal means or Haram means. Those humans who resort to haram should immediately give up haram and ask for Mercy of Allah Saein. Allah Saein’s ‘pakar’ is firm and strong and definitely occurs. A human should shudder at thinking of consequences of resorting to haram. You are a young politician and can have better future if you keep away from haram. But you have been misled /trapped by evil people. Just think about how other humans are being affected by corruption, how their Haqooq are being usurped by corrupt practices. If a person tramples other people’s Haqooq through corruption then would Allah Saein give him his Haqooq / children’s Haqooq, good health, good future, etc. Never. My humble suggestion is to read Quran in your mother tongue and you will be enlightened.

12) This rejoinder to Minister became necessary because a ‘lifafa’ reporter of 92 News is giving twist to facts by reporting that my transfer occurred due to transfer of a Police Inspector. Such transfers are done by S&GACD department after considering all relevant rules and regulations. S&GACD is a competent authority even consults Regulation Wing and Ministry of law for matters. It is lame to suggest that S&GACD dept issued an irregular order. However, for lifafa reporter, lifafa is more important than Emaan / faith.

Farhat Junejo

Police Service of Pakistan