Supreme Court (SC) on Monday directed Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah to furnish a report within four weeks about embezzlement of billions of rupees public funds allocated for initiatives by provincial Initiatives Department. At its Karachi Registry, SC's bench headed by Justice Gulzar Ahmed ordered the Chief Minister to unearth where these funds had gone. Sindh Initiatives Department was closed down on the orders of the apex court in 2017 after its worst performance regarding execution major initiatives. The SC also ordered an audit of these funds.
Director General Audit Sindh submitted a report in the court, which suggested that billions of rupees were embezzled on account of various initiatives in water, infrastructure, Thar airport as well as Thar Coal project. It revealed that many projects in the water sector undertaken by Initiatives Department were rendered dysfunctional.
Justice Gulzar asked Advocate General Sindh Salman Talabuddin where is the provincial government and what it has done when the billions of rupees embezzled on these initiatives. Sindh government has done its best, Advocate General replied when Justice Gulzar asked where the promises and projects aimed at providing clean drinking water to the people of the province, had gone?
The SC bench ordered Sindh CM to probe the embezzlement of funds holding relevant quarters answerable on utilisation of public money. Advocate General requested the court to issue these directives to Chief Secretary rather than provincial chief executive. "Why Chief Secretary should be asked about it. Chief Minister is responsible as he is running the government," Justice Gulzar replied.
Meanwhile, taking up the case of forced retirement of a grade 17 officer Farast Ali in PWD, SC bench sought report from the Director General and other concerned officials about the issue within four-weeks. Petitioner challenged his forced retirement from his job some twelve years back after he went to Canada in 2006 and met a fatal road accident. He told the court he had produced medical certificates and had applied for more leaves on medical grounds. He said the Admin Officer of the department turned down his request without any inquiry into the matter.
The petitioner's lawyer told the court that DG PWD has the authority to extend the leave under the relevant laws. The SC bench sought comments of the department on leave and forced retirement of the petitioner and also approved his plea to transfer the case to Karachi.
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