KARACHI: Despite multiple reminders, the Karachi University (KU) is yet to show compliance with the Sindh government’s directives under which the higher education institution is required to open and maintain its accounts in the Sindh Bank, it emerged on Friday.

According to sources, as per government policy, all departments, autonomous bodies, authorities, boards and institutions under the administrative control of the Sindh government are required to open and maintain their accounts in Sindh Bank.

The cabinet, they said, approved the decision for release of government funds meant for grant-in-aid and single-line transfers/deposits six months ago. It excluded assignment accounts.

Speaking to Dawn on the condition of anonymity, government officials said the KU administration hadn’t shown compliance with the government directives despite receiving reminders from the departments of universities and boards and finance.

One such letter dated Oct 3, 2019 was addressed to the KU vice chancellor directly with subject ‘Non-compliance and deliberate violation of government of Sindh’s policy and instructions’.

The letter refers to a complaint on the matter by Sindh Bank’s manager and seeks compliance with the government directives in letter and spirit.

The sources said the KU administration kept all its funds in a particular private bank branch located on the campus and also transferred the grant it received from the provincial government from Sindh Bank to that branch.

They also said that unlike the past administrations, the university had also issued instructions to students seeking admissions to the KU this year to submit their fees in that particular bank branch.

“I don’t know why the university is bent upon keeping all its funds in a particular private bank branch. But, this is violation of government orders,” said a Sindh Bank official.

The KU director of finance and acting vice chancellor were not available for comments.

Published in Dawn, January 25th, 2020