Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has taken serious notice of the poor performance of and alleged corruption in different departments of the Sindh government.
A survey report released by a non-governmental organisation, Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT), that ranked governance of all the provinces of the country put the performance of the Sindh chief minister at the lowest. The report reads: “The performance of the Punjab government is regarded as the most effective among provincial governments by 65.73 percent of all respondents, followed by that of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at 16.54 percent. Only 2.44 percent of all respondents regarded the Balochistan government’s performance as the best. Within the province itself, however, the number of respondents who view the provincial government’s performance as being the best is significantly higher at 15.38 percent.
Almost 50 percent of all respondents regard Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif to have been the most effective chief executive in the past year, followed by Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pervez Khattak (15.36 percent) and Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah (11.15 percent).” Authorities of the Sindh government have, however, termed this survey as fabricated and being politically motivated. The report drew the attention of PPP Chairman Bilawal, who constituted a secret body to investigate the matter and report back to him. The committee comprises of non-political experts.
In its findings the committee stated that the performance of several departments was not up to the mark. It was noticed that the state of affairs in Local Governments and Community Development (LG&CD), Communication and Works Department, Education and Health departments were the worst. Bilawal summoned Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah and showed displeasure over the way things were being run under him. The PPP chairman was told that the city of Karachi has been swamped with signboards. Every road, wall and other visible places have been taken over by advertisements and slogans.
The committee said that this was the result of corruption, as the officials in the Ministry of Local Government are getting heavy bribes for allowing these billboards. It said that illegal hydrants are another source of corruption for the ministry’s officials, who are “earning” millions from it on a monthly basis. In the department of the Local Governments several appointments have been made by officials who took bribes. Malir Development Authority, Lyari Development Authority, Municipal Corporation Malir, Sehvan Development Authority, Hyderabad Development Authority and KMC are among the establishments where people have been recruited after payment of bribes.
On becoming aware of the situation Bilawal held individual meetings with the members of the Sindh Assembly who were elected on PPP tickets. He also met with party leaders and selected workers. The disclosures made by them were very alarming for the PPP chairman. The MPAs and party workers disclosed that in the Excise and Taxation Department, excise inspectors and assistant excise and taxation officers (AETO) have been recruited against bribes of more than Rs 5 million.
The PPP MPAs told Bilawal that of the development budget of Rs 146 billion only 20 percent was spent on ground while the rest went into the pockets of the ministers and officials. Special packages announced by the leadership for the districts of Khairpur, Larkana and Nawabshah were the worst causality at the hands of corrupt leaders and officials. Bilawal was told that the corrupt officials brought a bad name to the party in Thar by their malpractices.
A member of the assembly told the PPP chairman that the authorities have shifted an anti-venom vaccine laboratory from Tharparkar to Nawabshah despite the fact that it is monsoon season and the incidents of snakebite are on the rise in Tharparkar. The lawmaker said the laboratory is needed in Thar, not in Nawabshah. Bilawal has taken strong notice of the situation and constituted a monitoring committee that will scrutinise development works of the last five years and prepare a report to present to him. Stern action will be taken against the corrupt and those who have tarnished the image of the party among the masses. He said the party is a trust of Benazir Bhutto and Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and would not be compromised. The ministers, he said, are to serve the public and not mint money.
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