DC ordered to disclose lavish house details after 2-year delay

Commission warns of action as DC fails to disclose expenses and assets tied to official residence

HYDERABAD:

For over two years, the office of Deputy Commissioner of Hyderabad has evaded submitting a range of details about the DC House despite repeated notices served by the Sindh Information Commission (SIC). The commission, however, on April 30 has given 10 days to the incumbent DC Zainul Abedin Memon to comply by providing the required details to the complainant Boota Imtiaz, a member of Sindh Human Rights Commission (SHRC).

"Failure to comply with this order within the stipulated time may result in further action by this commission," a letter signed by the Information Commissioner Shahid Abbass Jatoi and Chief Information Officer Dr Jawaid Ali warned. Nestled in the city's centre, the sprawling and lavishly built house spreads to several acres of prime land.

It is even bigger than the houses given to Commissioner Hyderabad and DIG Hyderabad. In May, 2023, Imtiaz wrote a letter to the then DC Fuad Ghaffar Soomro, requesting him to provide details about the house, its staff, vehicles and expenses. He had sought information about the house's area; number of employees and annual budget allocation for their salaries; number of vehicles and budget for fuel and maintenance; and expenses incurred on the utility bills.

The funds spent on renovation, repair and maintenance of the house were also required. Imtiaz had based his request on article 19-A of the constitution as well as under the Sindh Transparency and Right to Information Act, 2016. The same letter was again submitted in August, 2023, but to no avail, according to him. He later filed a complaint with the SIC on August 7, 2023.

A subsequent complaint about non-compliance was submitted on October 3, 2023. The commission issued its first notice to the DC on October 13, 2023, directing him to appear before the SIC on October 30, 2023, along with the requisite information. Another notice for the appearance was served on October 30, 2023, for November 7, 2023.

"The Commission is of the view that the respondent willfully ignored the notices and intentionally disobeyed the orders issued by the commission," the letter's section titled commission's view reads. "The commissioner is also of the considered opinion that the respondent's failure to provide requested information and to comply with the orders constitutes a violation of the Act." In its order, the SIC directed the DC to provide all the required details within 10 days.