Minority affairs secretary to explain alleged misuse of funds

The petitioner claims that the special funds for Diwali had been embezzled.

KARACHI:

The Sindh High Court directed the minority affairs secretary to submit a report on the disbursement of funds after a petition was filed against the ministry for alleged embezzlement.

The petitioner, Abid Hussain, a representative of the Human Voice Welfare Organisation, said that in the year 2010-2011, the provincial ministry of minority affairs had allocated Rs100 million for the welfare of minorities. With this money, temples, churches and gurdwaras were supposed to be renovated. Poor people belonging to minority groups were supposed to be provided help and scholarships were to be awarded to students. A special fund of Rs50 million for Diwali celebrations was also allocated to the minority affairs secretary for instant distribution among Hindus.

Minorities minister Mohan Lal Kohistani had announced that Rs5,000 each would be distributed to poor Hindus for the festive occasion. But neither application forms nor financial assistance was provided to members of the religious minority, claimed the petitioner.

“Only 2,500 application forms for financial assistance were distributed by the secretary of minority affairs and that too among the ministers and other leaders,” alleged Hussain in his petition. “On the other hand, the underprivileged Hindu people residing in Karachi have deliberately been ignored. This amounts to discrimination and is a violation of Article 25 of the Constitution.”

He pleaded the court to call for the entire record of funds utilisation from the minority affairs secretary and order action against officials.

Chief Justice Mushir Alam, who headed the bench, directed the minority affairs secretary to file comments on funds utilisation before the date of the next hearing.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 3^rd, 2013.