‘Massive irregularities’ in outgoing LG bodies

Authorities are investigating illegal appointments, financial embezzlement in union councils

The local bodies in Sindh are scheduled to complete their tenure by end of this month, leaving behind massive irregularities allegedly committed during their four-year term. To this end, different federal and provincial institutions are probing the illegal appointments of employees, financial embezzlements in procurements, and several other discrepancies.

According to sources, the provincial government has launched an investigation into the issue of illegal appointments in different local government departments. The investigation is being carried out under the supervision of the Sindh Local Government Board secretary, Zameer Abbasi.

Through an official letter issued on July 28, Abbasi sought relevant records from 178 union councils (UCs) of Karachi to probe the matter.

According to the official letter sent to the union councils, a copy of which is available with The Express Tribune, all the details related to the appointment of employees had been sought by the government. The secretaries of the union councils were asked to submit appointment orders of all employees, their medical fitness certificates, data related to the year of their appointments, and details about the authorities involved in the appointment of the staffers.

Shedding light on the matter, Abbasi said that his office has received the relevant records from most of the union councils in Karachi.

“We have successfully received the required information from the majority of the UCs. Only 37 of them have not submitted the records yet, which we hope will be done soon,” he said. “Once we receive the necessary details, a final report will be compiled about fake appointments from all the union councils and presented before the government.”

Sources also said that hundreds of illegal appointments were made during the tenures of the outgoing local bodies. However, the incidents are not new as the practice of illegal appointments in local councils was also rampant during the terms of the previous local bodies.

When questioned, Abbasi confirmed the prevalent malpractice and said that his office was conducting an impartial and transparent inquiry into the irregularities that took place during the past two tenures of union councils.

Previously, several union councils were also found to be involved in the illegal transfer and posting of officers in their respective areas. The Sindh Local Government Department had taken serious notice of the practice and had warned the councils of stern action.

It was observed that the chairpersons of respective local councils, including district municipal corporations, had issued orders related to the transfer of government officers, even though it was the prerogative of the local government department.

Meanwhile, an inquiry is also underway into financial embezzlements related to purchasing of fogger and spray machines by local councils. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) is investigating the said matter.

Sources said that the NAB has sought information about the purchase of such machines from 178 union councils of Karachi during the financial year 2011-2012. Though the information had been sought in March 2002, complete information has still not been provided to the NAB authorities.

After a delay of five months, on August 4, the Sindh Local Government Department sent letters to district municipal corporations of Karachi in this regard when the NAB required the information in connection with an inquiry underway in Hyderabad. Per sources, the Hyderabad Municipal Corporation officers Qamaruddin Shaikh, Shahid Ali Khan, and others are part of the inquiry.

According to local government secretary Roshan Ali Shaikh, all inquiries about current local councils will be completed before the end of their tenures. However, he added that as per the law, all inquiries will continue even after the end of the term of the local councils.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 11^th, 2020.