Court seeks reply on petition to bring back SCBA chief

Petitioner has sought inquiry into alleged illegal appointments in the building control authority

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) issued notices to the provincial chief secretary, the secretary of the provincial apex committee, the director-general of Rangers and others on a petition seeking inquiry into alleged illegal appointments and corrupt practices in the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) and bringing back its absconding head, Manzoor Kaka, through Interpol.

A public-interest litigant, Rana Faizul Hasan, had approached the court seeking direction to the authorities to carry out an inquiry into illegal appointments, corrupt practices and audit of the expenditures in the SCBA.



He claimed that over 500 appointments were made in the SBCA during 2012-13. Under the rules, appointments in grades 16, 17 and 18 are to be made through the Sindh Public Service Commission. The authorities fulfill the requirements of advertising the posts and calling interviews, but the jobs are given to those with political connections, he added.

Hasan asked the court to verify the credentials of all SCBA employees who were appointed during the last seven years.

He also requested to direct the provincial apex committee’s secretary to give complete powers to the National Accountability Bureau, the Federal Investigation Agency and the Sindh Rangers to initiate an inquiry against corrupt officials in various civic agencies and provincial departments, such as the SBCA, the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board, the Anti-Corruption Establishment, the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation and the Excise and Taxation department.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 28^th, 2015.