Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Saturday met Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar at the Supreme Court's Karachi Registry to clarify the provincial government's position regarding alleged lack of cooperation with joint investigation team (JIT) investigating the money-laundering case. Advocate General Salman Talabuddin and Chief Secretary Syed Mumtaz Ali Shah accompanied the Chief Minister during his meeting with CJP in his chamber.
The CJP had asked Sindh CM to meet him as Shah clarified he was not summoned. The CJP had asked for a meeting after the JIT complained about non-cooperation from Sindh government departments regarding provision of required records in the case of money-laundering being heard by the apex court.
Talking to the media after the meeting, Sindh CM Murad Shah said he had told CJP that it would take some time to provide the complete record because JIT had sought the record of last ten years. The Chief Justice said that the provision of record to JIT is the job of the bureaucracy of the departments concerned and not of the chief minister.
He said he was thankful to the CJP for listening to him on various issues such as JIT, health, Thar, dams, cleanliness, etc, about which incorrect impression was being created.
Shah said there were about 80 engineers in Irrigation and Works & Service departments. "We asked all of them to provide record of the contracts they had awarded during the last 10 years," he said, adding that "of course, it is a time-consuming job to compile details of last 10 years and they had done it."
He said the JIT sought huge record within two days and it was not impossible for the relevant people to do so within stipulated time. He said the CJP also appreciated the provincial government for providing record to JIT.
"Chief Justice had not summoned me. As a matter of fact, he had called me for a meeting. Chief Justice also said that the media had given it a wrong impression," Shah said, adding that his meeting with the Chief Justice was held in good atmosphere and at the outset the latter had congratulated him on his re-election as chief minister.
He said he also briefed the CJP on health facilities established in Thar. "I have requested the Chief Justice to visit Thar with me and witness our efforts we have made towards health, education, infrastructure, livelihood and energy sectors," he said, adding that he was pleased to see that the CJP accepted his invitation.
Replying to a question, the Chief Minister said that the Bhasha Dam project was actually conceived and approved by PPP government in 2010. Shah said he had given a proposal to the Chief Justice of Pakistan to meet with ANG Abbasi who had done a great work on water sector. He said once a meeting is held between them, a committee would be constituted to identify the quantum of water which could be brought to the system and the committee would also explore ways and means for conservation of water.
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