Ministers, lawmakers owe Sindh House Rs5m

CM Murad owes Rs6,500, while former MNA Shahjahan Baloch has Rs1.4m outstanding against him

KARACHI:

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, MNA Khursheed Shah and Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani, cabinet members and former opposition leader Khawaja Izharul Hassan have yet to clear their dues at Sindh House Islamabad.

The sprawling palatial boarding and lodging facility with luxurious rooms, spacious halls and lush gardens is owned and maintained by the Sindh government for hosting official guests in the federal capital. Though, it was also in the news earlier this year for taking ‘hosts’ PTI dissident lawmakers.

According to Sindh House 2019-20 audit report submitted by the auditor general of Pakistan to the Sindh Assembly, the lawmakers and important figures of the provincial cabinet including the CM owe the Rs5,029,367.

CM Murad Ali Shah has outstanding dues amounting to Rs6,500 against various bills dating between 2008 and 2014 and MQM MPA Khawaja Izharul Hasan has Rs5,264 to his account, however former MNA Shahjahan Baloch has not cleared his dues amounting to Rs1,413,334.

The audit report for the year 2019-20 stated that PPP central leader and MNA Khursheed Shah had booked the facility for his guests and has yet to clear bills amounting to Rs294,000, similarly, Sindh Assembly Public Accounts Committee Chairman Ghulam Qadir Chandio owes Rs147,364.

As per the audit report Sindh Assembly Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani has Rs103,838 and provincial minister Rubina Qaimkhani has Rs133,710 outstanding against the facility maintained by the Sindh government in the federal capital.

Hari Ram Kishori Lal stayed here and left without paying Rs22,484 while Manzoor Wassan and his guests left unpaid bills of Rs366,209, the audit report revealed.

As per the document, MPA Imdad Pitafi owes Rs167,792 and Senator Taj Haider Rs306,372. Moreover, provincial minister Shehla Raza owes Sindh House Rs147,504, Labour Minister Saeed Ghani Rs38,500, and former CM Qaim Ali Shah Rs80,010,.