Gorakh Hills authority: Official vehicles continue to be misused
Former tourism minister, authority’s DG are in possession of two Toyota Vigos
A file photo of police van. PHOTO: PPI
KARACHI:
Despite many requests, several politicians and officials of Sindh government have refused to return the luxury vehicles purchased for the use of the Gorakh Hills Development Authority (GHDA).
According to the authority's officials, in the previous provincial government setup, two Toyota Hilux Vigos were given to then tourism minister Ayaz Soomro - now a National Assembly member from the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) - and then director-general (DG) of the authority, Nazir Ahmed Chakrani, but both are reluctant to handover the official vehicles. A GHDA official said Soomro is presently out of the country but his family continues to use the vehicle as private property.
Meanwhile, officials said Chakrani, an influential bureaucrat in the Sindh government, has sought time to return the vehicle, which is also in the personal use of his family. "There are no whereabouts of three other jeeps purchased by the provincial government in its previous tenure," an official in the Sindh government said, adding that instead of recovering these vehicles, the present GHDA chairperson, PPP MNA Rafique Jamali, has asked the high-ups to be provided a Toyota Fortuner. "We initially proposed to give him a Vigo but he got angry and came up with the demand of a Fortuner," a senior GHDA official confided in The Express Tribune. Jamali did not respond to calls for comment while GHDA DG Nazir Jamali only confirmed that the vehicles earlier in the use of Soomro and Chakrani have yet to be recovered.
"We have recently written a letter to the implementation and coordination secretary of Sindh government to help us recover these vehicles," the DG said.
Talking about the new initiatives on Gorakh Hill, one of the highest plateaus of Sindh, he said they have recently invited an open tender to install a chairlift while the construction of guesthouses at the 6,000-feet hilltop is under way.
"The contract to install the chairlift will be given to an international company," he informed, adding that initially the government had earmarked Rs200 million for the project but the amount has now been increased to Rs700 million.
LG minister's notice
Meanwhile, a few days ago, local government minister Jam Khan Shoro directed his department's secretary to compile the record of all the vehicles of the ministry. In a statement issued on Wednesday, Shoro asked former ministers and secretaries to return the official vehicles to the department in the next three days. He further directed those officers enjoying more than one vehicle to return the extra vehicle. Shoro warned that after the expiry of the given time, the compiled list of vehicles will be forwarded for the registration of FIR.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 4th, 2016
Despite many requests, several politicians and officials of Sindh government have refused to return the luxury vehicles purchased for the use of the Gorakh Hills Development Authority (GHDA).
According to the authority's officials, in the previous provincial government setup, two Toyota Hilux Vigos were given to then tourism minister Ayaz Soomro - now a National Assembly member from the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) - and then director-general (DG) of the authority, Nazir Ahmed Chakrani, but both are reluctant to handover the official vehicles. A GHDA official said Soomro is presently out of the country but his family continues to use the vehicle as private property.
Meanwhile, officials said Chakrani, an influential bureaucrat in the Sindh government, has sought time to return the vehicle, which is also in the personal use of his family. "There are no whereabouts of three other jeeps purchased by the provincial government in its previous tenure," an official in the Sindh government said, adding that instead of recovering these vehicles, the present GHDA chairperson, PPP MNA Rafique Jamali, has asked the high-ups to be provided a Toyota Fortuner. "We initially proposed to give him a Vigo but he got angry and came up with the demand of a Fortuner," a senior GHDA official confided in The Express Tribune. Jamali did not respond to calls for comment while GHDA DG Nazir Jamali only confirmed that the vehicles earlier in the use of Soomro and Chakrani have yet to be recovered.
"We have recently written a letter to the implementation and coordination secretary of Sindh government to help us recover these vehicles," the DG said.
Talking about the new initiatives on Gorakh Hill, one of the highest plateaus of Sindh, he said they have recently invited an open tender to install a chairlift while the construction of guesthouses at the 6,000-feet hilltop is under way.
"The contract to install the chairlift will be given to an international company," he informed, adding that initially the government had earmarked Rs200 million for the project but the amount has now been increased to Rs700 million.
LG minister's notice
Meanwhile, a few days ago, local government minister Jam Khan Shoro directed his department's secretary to compile the record of all the vehicles of the ministry. In a statement issued on Wednesday, Shoro asked former ministers and secretaries to return the official vehicles to the department in the next three days. He further directed those officers enjoying more than one vehicle to return the extra vehicle. Shoro warned that after the expiry of the given time, the compiled list of vehicles will be forwarded for the registration of FIR.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 4th, 2016