NAWABSHAH, April 25: Accusing District Coordination Officer Ahmed Bux Khokhar of misconduct, misbehaviour and administrative and financial mismanagement, District Nazim Faryal Talpur has urged the Sindh government to immediately transfer him.

The demand from the nazim came amid rowdy scenes in the Darbar Hall here on Wednesday which virtually became a fish market in the midst of a meeting convened for pre-budget suggestions. It turned into a verbal clash between the nazim and the DCO.

The clash erupted when Mrs Talpur barred Finance and Planning EDO Qazi Rashid from talking on the ground that he had been relieved by her on the directives of the Sindh government on which he replied that he was working on the orders of the DCO.

Hot words were exchanged between the nazim and the DCO when the latter supported the EDO, saying that he was working on the verbal orders of the Sindh chief minister conveyed to him (DCO) during his visit to the Urs of Hamal Faqir and his transfer orders would be cancelled within 24 hours. The nazim asked the DCO why he was over-asserting his authority

The situation became tense when some Awam Dost nazims started shouting against the two officials, saying that they did not want the officers as they were intentionally stopping development funds and the district council had already passed resolutions recommending their transfer.

It infuriated the DCO, who banged his desk several times and boycotted the meeting along with all the officers, saying that he was a government servant and would follow the instructions of the Sindh government.

The Awami Ittehad and Haq Parast-backed nazims also followed suit and boycotted the meeting.

Later, talking to journalists, Mrs Talpur said that she was complying the order No. SO(S&GAD)-2/20/06 (BOR-8) in which the DCO's request for cancellation of transfer of the EDO was turned down and she was directed to follow the orders of the chief minister and relieve the EDO.

She accused the DCO of administrative and financial mismanagement and said that she had written 54 letters to the DCO but he had not bothered to reply even one of them.

She said that the DCO was continuously violating the Sindh Local Government Ordinance and not discharging professional duties and she had informed the Sindh government about it.

She said that the DCO had misbehaved with her and she had a right to take legal action against him.

She said that the development works in the district were stopped due to non-release of funds by the DCO and several schemes had elapsed and the DCO was politicising the matters.

Mrs Talpur said that the DCO was misusing the name of the Sindh chief minister for ulterior motives and was harassing junior officers.

She further said that the year was ending and ADP schemes approved by the district council were not being processed and maintenance and repair funds of the works and services EDO were not being released.

She said that schemes under DERA-II programmes were also pending and not sent to provincial DERA unit by the DCO. She said that the project for establishment of a centre for women in distress was also not initiated by the DCO despite passage of one year.

She said that the list of 1,400 deserving people was lying with the DCO for finalisation and poor people were being deprived of financial assistance provided by the Baitul Maal.

Mr Talpur said that the DCO was not releasing funds of octroi and zila tax and sugar cess schemes despite approval of the district council.

When contacted, the DCO denied the allegations and claimed that he was following government policies. He said that the order to cancel transfer of the finance and planning EDO was in process.