Release of funds to clear 30 buses from port ordered
Workers unload consignment of 100 buses that reached Karachi Port from China on Tuesday. PHOTO: NNI
Sindh Chief Minister Justice (retd) Maqbool Baqar taking serious notice of the delay in the release of 30 buses from the Karachi port has warned the Accountant General to release the required funds without any further delay.
"If any decay or fault is accrued to the buses, imported from China, the Accountant General will be held responsible," the CM said in a statement issued from the CM Secretariat.
The CM said that the buses have already reached the Karachi port and the provincial government has released the required amount of Rs1,000 million endorsed by the Treasury Office, Karachi, but sorry to say the AG Sindh has refused to accept the endorsement.
Although, the finance department of the Sindh government, advising in favour of the treasury officer for endorsing the cheques, the AG Sindh's office ignored this advice. Furthermore, the AG Sindh office sent a letter on November 27, 2023, restricting National Bank branches in Karachi to only honour cheques endorsed by the AG, which disabled the treasury office from performing its duties. As a result, all necessary expenses related to dishonoured advice are currently on the hold.
Read City’s public transport system faces shortfall of 13,000 buses
The CM has asked the AG Sindh to resolve the issue of payment within the next two days, otherwise, it would be held responsible for the decay and faults in the buses, if occurred.
Ida Rieu grant raised
Baqar has declared that the annual grant of Ida Rieu Welfare Association (IRWA) will be raised from Rs10 million to Rs15 million. Ida Rieu has been serving deaf and blind children in Karachi since 1922.
Additionally, Baqar ordered the supply of three pianos for children with disabilities. He made this announcement while speaking at the opening ceremony of the inclusive Youth Parliament at Ida Rieu. President of Ida Rieu Welfare Association (IRWA), Nadira Panjwani, Secretary of the Department of Differently-Abled Persons, Taha Farooqi, and others were present.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 19th, 2023.