Sindh Assembly construction: SHC seeks record of appointments

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday summoned 17 years’ record of recruitment in local bodies a while hearing a petition regarding alleged corruption in construction of new building of Sindh Assembly and the MPAs hostels, ARY News reported.

Petitioner Afshan Mansoor pleaded to the court to stop issuance of more construction funds for these projects.

A divisional bench comprising SHC Chief Justice Ahmed Ali Sheikh and Justice Omar Sial summoned the 17 years’ record of recruitment in local bodies and appointments in Sindh Assembly in the case hearing today.

The bench questioned about recruitment in Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA), Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), District Municipal Corporations (DMCs) and the Water Board and called 17 years’ break up of the recruitment from year 2000 to 2017.

Petitioner, Afshan Mansoor, alleged that large-scale corruption had been committed in the construction of the new building of Sindh Assembly and the new MPA hostel.

The estimate of the building was around Rs2.7 billion which has been increased to Rs11.4b. More than Rs6.72b have been issued as of June 30, 2017. This amount has been issued before even 50% of the work was completed, the petitioner claimed.

The project is being executed by Sindh Assembly Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani.

The petitioner argued that there were no checks and balances to prevent corruption and illegal practices. She asked for NAB chairman to be directed to investigate the irregularities.

The bench remarked that the court will also scrutinize other factors apart of the corruption allegations in the assembly building construction project.

The court observed that it will also see whether the petitioner’s hands are clean.

The bench ordered the petitioner to appear before the court in the next hearing.

The bench also directed Additional Advocate General to appear in the next hearing and adjourned the case.