JAMSHORO: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Wednesday lashed out at the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for causing collapse of the development portfolio of his government by taking certain actions “which are not above the board”.
“I know their officials have been taking money,” he claimed while speaking to reporters during inspection of the Jamshoro railway crossing flyover after visiting sites of various projects in Tando Allahyar, Hyderabad and Tando Adam and Jamshoro districts.
“All actions of the anti-graft body [NAB] are not above the board. I know they [NAB officers] have been taking money and in one case matter reached court as well,” he said. He said that NAB should take such delinquent officials to task.
“Sindh’s development portfolio has collapsed due to the actions taken by NAB and I have faced serious problems while executing works. Even Jamshoro railway crossing project involves inquiries but we are trying to maintain pace,” said the CM.
‘Losses suffered due to unscheduled closure of Rohri canal may be claimed from the anti-graft body’
Mr Shah said that NAB had closed Rohri canal one month before its scheduled closure causing serious losses to growers.
“I will be sending bills of losses to NAB as a result of the canal’s closure. I have already asked the officers concerned to asses the losses,” he said.
The CM said that NAB had taken the action even without giving a serious thought to it. He said that government did take up the matter with court and NAB but it didn’t understand the point due to perception that had been created.
About posting of an officer as the director general of the Hyderabad Development Authority (HDA) who is facing a NAB inquiry, Mr Shah said the Sindh government had to make do with the existing lot of officers, luckily or unluckily. In reply to questions about the Supreme Court-appointed water commission’s directives, the chief minister complained that he could not transfer certain officers in line with the apex court’s orders dealing with the commission.
“These officers report to the task force formed by the apex court and headed by a particular officer,” he explained.
He added that his government was restrained from transferring some officers without court’s consent. He said the court had ordered that the task force would be reporting to a sitting Sindh High Court judge.
He said it is still his problem. He said that he had told the apex court that he was ready to share his problems but a high court judge was tasked with the commission and was monitoring it. “But if we transfer some officer, we are asked what action is taken against him as mere transfer is not enough,” he said.
About Jamshoro railway crossing flyover, he said that it was conceived in the previous fiscal but now he was told that it would be ready for inauguration. It is being built at a cost of Rs1.2 billion).
SSP Rao Anwar issue
Answering a question posed by a reporter, the chief minister said he did not issue any no-objection certificate to SSP Rao Anwar —currently facing allegation of an extrajudicial killing. “ An NOC is normally issued by CM. I am telling you I have not issued it nor leave is granted,” he said. He said that he would certainly take action if any specific case of extrajudicial killing was brought to his knowledge.
“Extrajudicial killings are not acceptable”, he said. He said that investigation in the Naqeebullah Mehsud case would yield results.
About his directive to the IG for Rao’s arrest, he said he did not need to issue it.
“Police have to take action when a criminal act is committed. If they don’t do that, it is their failure. I don’t think I have to issue directive for any particular case,” he added.
Regarding certain other cases, he said that the inspector general of police had visited Tharparkar and overseeing investigation into the murder of two trader brothers in Mithi.
“Some headway has been made,” he noted. The [Jan 17] triple murder in Mehar was being investigated by a competent police officer, he said.
Jam Khan Shoro, Imdad Pitafi and Mukesh Chawla accompanied the chief minister during his visit.
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