Peshawar, In a decisive move to curb corruption, Caretaker Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Justice Retired Syed Arshad Hussain Shah, has initiated a comprehensive review of recent land transfers and transactions across the province.
According to Directorate General Information and PRs – Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Chief Minister has directed the Board of Revenue to compile and submit detailed reports of land transfers from the last two months. Additionally, a directive was issued to all district Deputy Commissioners to provide records of land transfers in their respective areas. These records are to be scrutinized by the Chief Minister’s Complaint Cell.
The Chief Minister plans to personally contact individuals involved in these land transfers to ascertain if any illicit payments were made during the process. This follows several complaints received about corrupt practices by patwar staff in land transfers. The Chief Minister has assured strict action against any staff found guilty of harassing citizens or engaging in corrupt practices.
This initiative is part of a broader effort to eradicate alleged corruption in land transfer processes. The Chief Minister also encouraged citizens to report any related grievances to the Chief Minister’s Complaint Cell, vowing to take stern action against any officials proven to be involved in corruption.
The caretaker Chief Minister emphasized the provincial government’s zero-tolerance policy towards corruption, underscoring that officials who harass citizens and engage in bribery will face severe consequences.
Geneva, United Nations human rights experts have strongly condemned the execution of Mohammad Ghobadlou, a 23-year-old with a psychosocial disability, in Iran, calling on the Iranian government to adhere to its international human rights obligations.
According to Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the UN experts expressed alarm over reports of unfair trial proceedings in Ghobadlou’s case, which they say did not meet the due process and fair trial standards required by international human rights law. Ghobadlou was arrested in September 2022 amid nationwide protests in Iran and was later accused of killing an Iranian official and charged with “corruption on earth,” leading to his death sentence.
The experts highlighted their shock at the execution being carried out without Ghobadlou and his lawyer being informed about the legal basis for it. They also raised concerns about credible reports of executed individuals being denied access to lawyers during detention and trial.
The statement noted that at least four individuals are at imminent risk of execution in Iran, including Mojahed (Abbas) Kourkouri and Reza (Gholamreza) Rasaei, with at least 15 others facing the death penalty in connection to the nationwide protests.
UN experts reported an unprecedented rise in executions in Iran, with at least 834 people executed in 2023, including eight associated with the protests. They urged the Iranian Government to halt this “horrific wave of executions” immediately.
Furthermore, they appealed to the Iranian authorities to ensure the independence of the judiciary and uphold all due process and fair trial standards in all capital cases as required by international human rights law. The experts reiterated their call for Iran to review the use and implementation of the death penalty, reserving it only for the most serious crimes as defined by international law.