'Expensive furniture' for schools purchased during CM Sindh's tenure: Saeed Ghani   

KARACHI: Sindh Information Minister Saeed Ghani Wednesday said that tender for the purchase of furniture termed expensive by Opposition Leader Haleem Adil Shaikh was approved when Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah held the education portfolio, ARY NEWS reported.

The issue was raised by Haleem Adil Shaikh, who said that the provincial government purchased 16,000 pieces of school furniture for over Rs29,000 as compared to its market value of Rs5,000.

Addressing the matter in a joint presser, Education Minister Sardar Shah said that the issue came to his knowledge two days back and he then approached Saeed Ghani for understanding the entire issue.

Saeed Ghani while giving an explanation of the issue said that the first tender for the school furniture was awarded during Sardar Shah’s tenure, however, it was cancelled owing to some anomalies.

The matter remained pending and when a fresh tender was awarded, the chief minister was incharge of the education portfolio, he said while apparently indirectly blaming Murad Ali Shah. “I took charge of the ministry after the tender was awarded,” he said.

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While defending the approved bid, Saeed Ghani said that the price of Sheesham Wood has increased and estimates are set at a higher value in order to avoid any issues during the implementation process.

“The price of Sheesham Wood is higher today than it was in 2019,” he said adding that the procurement could not be carried out from Gharibabad, as shown by Haleem Adil Shaikh, and should be done as per SEPRA rules.