Sindh govt to combat fake domiciles

KARACHI:

After much controversy was created over fake domiciles issued to non-residents of the province, the Sindh government has decided to halt this practice without further delay.

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, presiding over a cabinet meeting at the Chief Minister's House, directed all divisional commissioners to scrutinise domiciles and PRC certificates issued in all districts over the last three years. He ordered them to report back within 60 days so that an effective decision could be taken to stop the misuse of domiciles and PRCs.

He also directed the chief secretary to fix responsibility on officers and officials involved in such practices so that exemplary punishments could be handed to them.

The meeting was attended by all the ministers, advisors, special assistants, Sindh Chief Secretary Mumtaz Shah, Sindh Advocate General Salman Talibuddin and other officers concerned.

The cabinet raised the issue of the misuse of Sindh domicile and PRC certificates by non-residents of the province. These individuals were issued the documentation and used the same to gain admission at educational institutes and obtain government jobs on both the federal and provincial quota reserved for residents of Sindh.

The chief minister had formed a committee under the Senior Member Board of Revenue (SMBR) in May 2020 to probe the matter of the misuse of domicile and PRC certificates. The committee probed the issuance of such documentation in five districts - Larkana, Kashmore, Kandhkot, Ghotki and Jamshoro.

In its report, the committee stated that 423 cases were examined and 154 were declared suspicious in the four districts on various grounds. Sindh Home Additional Secretary Qazi Shahid Pervez, while briefing the cabinet, said that deputy commissioners had delegated the responsibility of issuing domicile and PRC certificates to ADCs and ACs.

He said no field enquiry was being conducted. The ACS added that the processing and approval sheet showed a "mechanical" process, without application of mind, by the concerned staff/authority. It was pointed out that a private company was tasked with the important work of domicile/PRC issuance without adequate checks and balances.

Important documents, such as affidavits, were not issued properly and many were found defective. Most of the documents required as 'proof of residence' were not attested or verified.

The chief minister, after thorough discussion with cabinet members, said the domicile certificate was wrongly used as a proof of permanent residence at a particular place. He added that under the Pakistan Citizenship Act 1951, domicile was the certificate of citizenship of Pakistan. The act did not limit it to any province or a particular place.

Shah, with the approval of the cabinet, formed a committee to review the rules of domicile/PRC. The same official body would also suggest necessary amendments.

The committee comprises Sindh Revenue Minister Makhdoom Mahboob, Irrigation Minister Jam Khan Shoro, Law Advisor Murtaza Wahab and Senior Member Board of Revenue. The chief minister directed all the divisional commissioners to conduct a detailed scrutiny of the domiciles/PRCs issued in their districts during the last three years and submit a report. Meanwhile, the chief minister directed the IT department to develop a database of the domiciles/PRCs

School clustering policy

The school education department presented a `school clustering policy'. Under it, a group of geographically neighbouring/interconnected schools, working in a certain area and characterised by common activities, would be clustered.

Sindh Education Minister Sardar Shah said that in the province, schools were widespread and placed in different categories such as primary, middle, elementary, high and higher secondary. Most of the primary schools in rural areas were vulnerable and isolated two-room one-teacher schools, the minister noted.

He suggested the need for a mechanism to strengthen isolated schools through clustering. Each cluster would have one main hub school, while the remaining institutes would be grouped with the hub of the cluster.

The policy originally aimed at effectively addressing issues of the isolation of rural schools due to large distances, lack of teachers, inadequate resources and non-availability of opportunities for professional development.

The cabinet approved the proposal and the chief minister directed the education department to work out a detailed survey of the children presently out of school and take measures to bring them back.

Cemetries

Moreover, the Sindh cabinet approved the introduction of the Sindh Manzil-e-Sukoon Authority law. The objective was to establish, manage and regulate model cemeteries or graveyards and crematoriums.

It would also provide public cemetery, funeral, crematory, transfer and other related services. Advisor to CM on Law Murtaza Wahab said that there were several historic and public graveyards in the province where famous saints, poets, politicians, intellectuals and freedom fighters were resting for centuries.

He added these historic graveyards were looked after by various provincial departments, the local government on the UC level, communities, societies and others. According to Wahab, the majority of public graveyards were running out of space and neglect had left them in a deplorable state.

Out of 203 graveyards in Karachi, 184 are for Muslims and 19 for non-Muslims. Wahab said that 90 graveyards were under the control of the local government, 106 were managed by societies such as DHA, PQA, CAA and Steel Mills.

Contract extensions

The cabinet, on the request of the health department, extended the latter's contract with HANDS and MERF, under public-private partnerships, for another six months. MERF, as a private partner with the health department, is operating 13 health facilities in Thatta and Sujawal districts, while HANDS has 34 units in Malir district.

The contract period was for five years and it expired in August 2021. The cabinet directed the health department to monitor the performance of both partners and report to the government.

Funds allocated

The cabinet approved a budget of Rs 410.102 million for the Sindh Katchi Abadi Authority for 2021-22. It also allowed the Information department and Sindh Services Academy to purchase vehicles for their requirements.

The cabinet also approved the appointment of Najmi Alam as vice chairperson of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 8^th, 2021.