The Accountability Court No-IV in Karachi convicted on Friday Muhammad Akhter Qureshi, a senior clerk at the Karachi Port Trust, to five years rigorous imprisonment with a fine of Rs1 million.

The convict will have to undergo one year more rigorous imprisonment in case of default.

Qureshi was posted as senior clerk in the KPT’s Case & Assessment Branch from August 3, 1999 to January 5, 2002 to assess and collect approaching fees as per KPT rules from country crafts and was required to send bills to Cash & Assessment Branch, but deliberately and dishonestly he did not do so.

Instead, he received actual amount in case from persons concerned and shipping companies towards approaching fee bills and did not deposit the received amount in the KPT branch of Habib Bank, deposited less than the actual amount and tempered with receipts and KPT records.

The accused thus embezzled Rs54,77,918 and caused losses to the KPT. The reference against him was filed in the Accountability Court, Karachi on June 6, 2004.