Murad criticises NAB for 'creating fear among bureaucrats'

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Tuesday slammed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for what he said creating fear and insecurity among the government officials. 

Addressing the graduation ceremony of 26th Mid-Career Management Course (MCMC) at National Institute of Management (NIM) Karachi, he said there was a sense of fear and insecurity among the government officials due to which they have stopped performing their duties and choose to remain without posting or on the side posts, while those who were on key positions have also stopped working.

“This is a serious situation that has caused serious dent to service delivery,” he lamented and urged the officers to come out of fear [of NAB] and start serving people without any stress and pressure.

Mr Shah said the bureaucracy of this country was highly qualified, efficient and properly trained but their salary structure and perks were considerably lower as compared to people working in other sectors.

“Bureaucracy is the backbone of this country and they have to play their due role for the development of this country and its people,” he said and appreciated National Institute of Management (NIM) for offering excellent training programmes for capacity building of bureaucracy of the country and urged its management to design such courses which inculcate confidence among `fear-infested’ officers.

He said that he had an objection to the bureau’s slogan “say no to corruption” as it implies as if we all as a society and a nation are corrupt.” “We have governance issues and with the establishment of good governance corruption would automatically be removed,” he said.

Talking about the 18th Constitutional amendment, Murad Ali Shah said that it was a great achievement of the then PPP government which prepared a draft with collective wisdom of all the parliamentary forces and got it approved from the Parliament.

“It was 18th amendment under which Sindh Revenue Board (SRB) was established for collection of Sales Tax on Services. The federal government used to give Rs6 to 7 billion against Sales Tax on Service to Sindh and last payment in this head made was Rs14 billion and provincial government through SRB collected Rs27 billion in the first year of its [SRB] establishment and now it generates more than Rs100 billion.

“This is the success story of the constitutional reforms the PPP government had introduced under 18th amendment,” he said and lamented that now people are talking about scrapping the 18th amendment.