Conflict of interest: Revenue minister, commissioner fight over control

Zaman accuses Siddiqui of violating court orders, Siddiqui insists he does his job on merit.

KARACHI: Shoaib Siddiqui, a senior member of the revenue board and the city commissioner, has failed to remove non-cadre employees despite court orders, said revenue minister Makhdoom Jameeluz Zaman.

In a letter to the Sindh chief minister, Zaman claimed that Siddiqui has avoided implementing Supreme Court orders to remove 79 officers who were hired without following the competitive process. He asked Qaim Ali Shah to take back Siddiqui’s charge as the revenue board’s senior member.

“I am constrained to point out that Mr Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui, senior member of the board of revenue department, has been avoiding implementing Supreme Court of Pakistan and Sindh High Court decisions despite my repeated orders in writing to do,” stated the letter Zaman wrote. “It is therefore requested that he may be transferred and an honest and law abiding officer be posted as a senior member of the board of revenue.”  Zaman also met the chief minister and lodged a protest against the commissioner.

A source privy to the development told The Express Tribune that the actual dispute is due to the senior members’ refusal to appoint and transfer officers according to the minister’s orders. Zaman insisted, however, that the failure to implement court orders was the issue.

“I have issued three reminders to Siddiqui to implement court orders and stop violating the law,” said Zaman. “Today, I have communicated to the CM my future line of action. I don’t want to continue my job as a ‘dummy’ minister and will resign if the government does not transfer him.”

Zaman pointed out that the non-cadre officials have also been posted in the registration wing of the revenue department. “A few days ago, I imposed a ban on the transfer and posting of the officers but Siddiqui violated it and appointed Mukhtiarkars in a few district,” he said. For his part, Siddiqui said he was doing his job on merit and not offering anyone any undue favours. The issue pertaining to Supreme Court orders had already been taken care of, he added. He was annoyed that Zaman stood up against him. “I have not done anything against the law,” he insisted. “It is very unfortunate that the minister has levelled unfounded allegations.”

Some time ago, Zaman had resigned from his post, saying he was a powerless minister. Pakistan Peoples Party co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari assured him of full authority and convinced him to stay. Zaman resumed his job in January this year.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 26^th, 2015.