Supreme Court (SC) on Saturday sought the complete record of irregularities in Sindh Coal Authority (SCA) and directed provincial government to inform the court about the projects initiated and funds released by the authority. SC resumed the hearing on irregularities in SCA at Karachi Registry. Apex court is hearing the case after it took suo moto notice over wrongdoings in the affairs of the authority. Justice Gulzar Ahmed came hard on the provincial authorities at the outset when he reprimanded the authorities concerned over their failure to submit an inquiry report over matter.
Court sought the explanation from Sindh Government about the action taken against the elements involved in irregularities to the tune of Rs 10 billion. Additional Advocate General Sindh Sarwar Khan submitted before the court that he came up with a detailed report on the matters pertaining to SCA. "We have nothing to do with the detailed report. We just want to know where the billions of rupees have gone. To whose account the funds were transferred? Find out," Justice Gulzar remarked to the statement of Additional Advocate General Sarwar Khan.
Justice Gulzar showed anger over what he termed rampant corruption and deteriorating conditions in Sindh and remarked, "Where the funds of Rs 10 to 15 billion have gone? "If this money was spent on the people of Sindh, the conditions would have improved. In other provinces at least 50 percent of funds are spent on development programmes but here everything is looted. What are you doing for your province?" Justice Ahmed asked to Additional Advocate General.
Justice Gulzar also remarked, "If the authorities knew about Sindh's perception across the country. "Do you know what the country thinks about Sindh? Shall we tell you what we hear about Sindh while sitting in Islamabad?"
SC judge didn't stop to reprimand the provincial authorities and said what is happening in Karachi? The people here don't even leave a single penny. Do the people here don't love their province?"
Justice Gulzar said people are dying of malnutrition in Thar; they have neither food nor education in their area. But SCA has eaten up its coal resources whereas Sindh government has turned a blind eye towards everything. Apex court summoned records of the coal authority and directed that records should include details of number of projects completed, total amount of funds released by putting off the case hearing for one month.
Meanwhile, Supreme Court (SC) has given 15 days to all oil tankers in Karachi for shifting Zaulfiqarabad Oil Terminal and declared that Rangers and Police would be ordered to implement the court's orders. Oil Tankers Association sought 15 days for shifting oil tankers to Zaulfiqarabad Terminal and assured that it would be done within the timeframe. The two-member bench of SC was hearing a petition filed by Shagufta Bibi, a resident of Clifton seeking shifting of oil tankers from Clifton to Zaulfiqarabad Terminal.
KMC's counsel told the court that oil tankers were not ready to shift Zualfiqarabad Oil Terminal, which triggered a prompt response from the court when Justice Gulzar said that we would import the tankers from China if local tankers are not ready to shift. "China is ready to even clean our gutters so what would be issue if we import Chinese tankers to supply oil from Karachi to up country", he remarked.
On the request of Oil Tankers Association, SC bench gave 15 days time for shifting Zaulfiqarabad Terminal sand directed oil tankers would also enter in the city as per the schedule of Oil Company. Court directed the authorities concerned to submit the progress report on the matter in one month.