Inquiry to determine who gave approval to Nasla Tower project, says Sindh CM

ISLAMABAD: Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah Wednesday said that he had ordered an inquiry with respect to approval of Nasla Tower, but said that an alternative way could have been found instead of demolishing the whole tower.

Talking to reporters, after appearing before Accountability Court in illegal award of contracts in Sindh Nooriabad Power Companies (the SPNC-I and the SPNC-II) case, Shah said that unfortunately, talking about the merits of the case of the Supreme Court is inappropriate but he personally believes that an alternative way could have been found instead of demolishing the tower.

“We are bound to implement Supreme Court orders, but the whole 15 stories should not have been razed down,” he said.

He further said that if a building in the federal capital and a house of an influential person in Banigala can be regularised then why not a building in Karachi be regularised.

“I am just talking about regularisation and does not want to set free those people who had made these illegal approvals, he said, adding that strict action should be taken against them.

“Unfortunately, Supreme Court had not identified anyone who made these illegal approvals,” he said, adding that if the apex court had identified them then the government would be bound to take action against them.

The government has demolished Nasla tower following the directions of the Supreme Court, he said.

Murad said that as chief executive of the province he had ordered an inquiry to identify people involved in these illegal approvals.

He said that the apex court granted stay order against minimum monthly wage of Rs25,000, fixed by the Sindh government and we are also bound to obey this order.

To a question about Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM)’s long march, he said that the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) had made PDM. Our differences with the PDM developed over the methodology, he said, adding that we still believed we can give tough time to the government through in the house change in the national and Punjab assembly and can get rid of them.

Regarding local government act, he said that he held a meeting with Sindh Governor Imran Ismail in which there was no discussion on the local government bill but the governor Sindh was asked to send his reservations in writing over provincial local bodies act.

Earlier, he and other accused appeared before Accountability Court-III judge Syed Asghar in illegal award of contracts in Sindh Nooriabad Power Companies (SPNC-I and SPNC-II) and court marked their attendance.

The court adjourned the case till January 11 when it was informed that the record of the case was in the Islamabad High Court (IHC).

During the hearing, Waseem Javed prosecutor National Accountability Bureau (NAB) submitted its response on the acquittal application of accused Niaz Ali Sheikh.

The associate of Sheikh’s counsel informed the court that his lead counsel is busy in the Supreme Court in another case due to which he would not be able to appear before it.

The bureau also submitted a report about the properties of accused Muhammad Ali and informed the court that according to Karachi Development Authority (KDA), Malir Development Authority (MDA), Sindh Excise and Taxation Department, Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), and the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) there is no property on accused’s name.

However, the court ordered the NAB to trace accounts details of the accused through the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and the Nadra till the next date of hearing. The NAB requested the court to start procedure of declaring accused Muhammad Ali, a proclaimed offender.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021