KARACHI: The purchase of a firefighting snorkel truck at an exorbitant price may be postponed as the Sindh High Court on Friday put the top provincial and city officials on notice asking them to respond to the matter.

The court directed the provincial and the city authorities to file their respective replies on a constitutional petition filed against the purchase of a firefighting snorkel truck at an exorbitant price of Rs570 million. The petition was filed by president of the Sajan Union (collective bargaining agent) of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah through president of the Justice Helpline Advocate Nadeem Shaikh who impleaded the chief secretary, the provincial finance secretary, the local bodies secretary and the city commissioner as respondents.

A two-judge bench headed by Justice Munib Akhtar also put the government law officer on notice and put off the hearing to Dec 23. The petitioner said that the Punjab government had bought a similar snorkel truck for Lahore at a cost of Rs220 million.

Punjab bought a similar snorkel truck at Rs220m for which Sindh paid Rs570m

He alleged that an embezzlement of Rs300 million was taking place if the snorkel truck was being bought at Rs570m.

SPSC exam case

A two-judge bench headed by Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto expressed extreme displeasure over the investigator of the National Accountability Bureau for not completing investigation into alleged forging and tampering with the Sindh Public Service Commission exam results for the year 2003-04.

The bench observed that it appeared as if the investigation did not make appropriate efforts to complete the investigation within the stipulated time.

The bench was hearing half a dozen identical bail petitions filed by former SPSC chairman, members and other alleged beneficiaries. The NAB investigation officer submitted to the judges that the investigation was almost complete.

He said that the ‘answer copies’ of the candidates were sent to Islamabad for forensic test and after the receipt of the forensic report, a reference would be filed, he added.

Former SPSC chairman Mohammed Hassan Bhutto, his son Ayan Mustafa Bhutto, Memona Shah, the daughter of the then SPSC examiner Hussain Shah, SPSC members Syed Ahmed Baqar, Allah Bux Soomro, Ali Anwar Ruk, Shoib Ahmed Khero, and others had moved the SHC seeking pre-arrest bails in connection with the inquiry initiated against them for their alleged involvement in forging and tampering with the SPSC exam results to favour their kith and kin.

The NAB investigator in his reply stated that after viva voce only 77 candidates were declared successful in 2004 and to be appointed at various posts, including deputy district officer revenue, section officers, registrars, labour assistant director, and excise and taxation officer.

He said that in the final results several candidates were illegally favoured and some of them had even failed in more than one subject and some had acquired less mark. “Therefore, they were unfit to be recommended for appointment”.

The IO said that marks of 62 deserving candidates were deliberately reduced to the extent of failing so they could be eliminated from the exam process.

“Some of the SPSC members misused their authority and allowed massive manipulation. They cannot be absolved of their responsibility to ensure transparency in exam and selection process and blame the guilt on others,” the investigator said.

The alleged irregularities committed in the SPSC exam had initially come to light in 2008 when some aggrieved candidates had gone to the high court seeking inquiry into it.

Subsequently, the anti-corruption establishment had registered an FIR (08/2008) against the SPSC chairman and other members for allegedly tampering with the exam results to favour their relatives.

Later, NAB took cognizance of the offence and had initiated an inquiry against those involved.

Published in Dawn, December 17th, 2016