KARACHI, Nov 21: The Chief Secretary of Sindh, K. B. Rind, has asked all the secretaries and departmental heads to ensure timely payment of electricity bills of their respective departments.

Presiding over a meeting, Mr Rind directed the concerned officials not to disconnect power supply to the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board as it would add to the miseries of the people of Karachi, who were already upset over the prevailing water crisis. He, however, asked the KWSB authorities to ensure an early payment of the KESC dues.

The meeting noted that an amount of Rs278 million was outstanding against the city government’s 18 town administrations for the period July-October.

The Additional Chief Secretary, Fazlur Rehman, said that Sindh government had already cleared its dues up to July this year.

The CS directed the secretary, Local Government, to convene a joint meeting of the DCO Karachi, Town Nazimeen and other concerned officials and ensure payment of KESC dues outstanding against the local government institutions.

The issues relating to the HESCO dues in the interior of Sindh also came up for discussion at the meeting. Mr Rind asked the Secretary, Local Government, to undertake an early visit to the interior areas and coordinate between the HESCO and the concerned departments in this regard. He also called for a report to be submitted to him after the visit.

The meeting was attended by ACS Finance, Fazlur Rehman, Secretary, Education, Nazar Hussain Maher, Secretary LG, Arif Azeem, City Nazim, Naimatullah Khan, MD of HESCO, Brig Tariq Arshad, MD of KESC, Brig Tariq Saddozai, DCO Karachi, Shafiqur Rehman Paracha and other officials.

ZAKAT BODIES: Speaking as chief guest at a function, organized by the District Zakat and Ushr Committee, Malir, in Landhi on Thursday, the Chief Secretary stressed the need for a transparent and perfect system for zakat distribution.