A Hino bus recovered by the National Accountability Bureau Sindh was handed over to the education department at a ceremony held here on Thursday. Sindh Education Minister, Pir Mazharul Haq received the keys of the bus.
A statement issued by NAB Sindh said that on the recommendations of education department, NAB Sindh initiated inquiry proceedings against M/s World Automobiles and officials of education and literacy department, Government of Sindh, in May this year to investigate allegations of corruption in procurement of a Hino bus.
The statement said that the then Chief Minister Sindh visited Pithoro, District Umerkot and directed to provide bus for pick and drop facility to the students of Government High School Pithoro and increase the enrolment in high school on 7 June 2006. It further said that the officials of Sindh education and literacy department obtained quotations from M/s Hino Pak Motors Limited and M/s World Automobile, wherein the former offered Rs 3.39 million and later offered Rs 3.7 million for 54 seater Hino Pak bus.
It is pertinent to mention that M/s World Automobiles was neither the manufacturer of Hino bus nor authorised dealer of Hino Pak Motors Limited. Despite knowing this fact, the officials of education department placed order with M/s World Automobiles at a higher price with mala fide intention in 2006, resultantly, the bus was not provided to the Government High School, Pithoro since then. Hence, the officials of the department caused loss to the state exchequer in connivance with M/s World Automobile and deprived the students a facility provided by the government.
During the course of inquiry, the beneficiary accused Director M/s World Automobiles offered to exercise the option of Voluntary Returned of an amount of Rs 3.7 million which was rejected by NAB as the present market value of bus had increased to Rs 5.6 million. The beneficiary accused submitted another application and agreed to return the present cost. The VR was approved and the accused accordingly paid the present cost to M/s Hino Pak Motors Limited through NAB Sindh. The bus was received and delivered to head master, Government High School Pithoro by Pir Mazharul Haq at a ceremony held in the office of NAB Sindh at PRCS Building, here on Thursday, for pick and drop facility of the students of the school.