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SUKKUR, Dec 3: A three-member team is investigating into the transfer of Rs20 million from the accounts of the district council to that of taluka council without following proper procedure.
The amount was later paid to some contractors whose bills were pending since 1997, 1998 and 1999 without the permission of the District Nazim or the preparation of a summary.
The investigation team comprising District Naib Nazim Iqbal Memon, DCO Abdul Qadir Mangi and the district accounts officer. It is of the view that transfer of such a huge amount without preparation of any summary or knowledge of Nazim was not only a gross irregularity, but a fraud fit for a National Accountability Bureau case.
Mr Memon told this correspondent that the former DCO, Sukkur, Nisar Siddiqi, had rejected the development works carried out by the contractors and ordered by the Sukkur Municipal Corporation on the plea that substandard material was used in them and the bills produced were fake.
He alleged that the EDOs of finance and revenue, former DCO, ADO, finance and taluka municipal and accounts officers were involved in the scandal.
He said that the amount was transferred from account-4 and octroi Zila tax account of the district government to the account of Taluka council and later distributed among the contractors, including Motto Mal who was paid Rs12 million.
The Naib Nazim alleged that half of the money was pocketed by the officials.
He said that the money was meant for payment of salaries and due to the transaction, many officials were deprived of salary and in the coming month, it would be difficult to pay salary to the employees.
He said that after completion of the inquiry, its report would be submitted to the Sindh government.
STRIKE: Teaching and non-teaching staff of the Sukkur Public School continued their one-hour strike for the second consecutive day here on Tuesday.
They are demanding 15
per cent increase in their salaries as had been announced by the Sindh government at the beginning of the financial year 2003.
Talking to journalists, the convener of the Teachers’ Association of the school, Prof Jibran Ansari, said they were forced to stage the strike as they had found that the principal, Dr Nazeer Ahmad Pathan, had been misleading them as well as the school’s board of governors on the issue of increase in salaries.
He said almost all other government departments had increased the salaries according to the government announcement.
He said the school principal had resorted to negative tactics by telling the students that tuition fees would also have to be increased if the staff salaries were risen by 15 per cent.
Mr Ansari said the school had enough funds and grants, provided by Sindh and federal governments, and it could arrange the amount required for salary increase from the funds.
He demanded that the Sukkur district Nazim should ensure that their salaries were increased.
