KARACHI - Expressing concern over the increasing corruption, the lawmakers on Wednesday disclosed in the Sindh Assembly that bureaucrats and senior officials, who were involved in embezzlements, were posted on senior posts in various departments of the province.

During the question-hour session of SA, which met at 11:05am with Speaker Nisar Ahmed Khuhro in the chair, the MPAs especially from the ruling PPP said that government officers who were found in embezzlement in public exchequer were not punished through due course of law in the Sindh government.
Provincial minister for anti-corruption department, Abdul Haq Bhurt told the House that Anti-Corruption Committee-2 in its meeting ordered to lodge cases against over 50 officers of education, health, police, revenue, forest and irrigation departments who were working in Thatta district for their involvement in embezzling government funds.  
To a supplementary question asked by PPP’s Humera Alwani regarding how many officers punished for their financial corruption, he said that the anti-corruption department had only registered and challenged their cases in the competent court of law as it was not the responsibility of the department to give sentence in any offence. The minister said that it was the duty of the court of law to award sentence and punish in any crime.  Humera Alwani while asking another supplementary question said that though a large number of officers found in financial embezzlement and facing investigation of anti-corruption department. She expressed concerns that despite cases and investigation under corruption, the officers were posted on senior posts who were enjoying all privileges and perks.
However, the minister said that the posting and transfers were come in the ambit of Services and General Administration Department as anti-corruption department only investigate and register the cases against the offenders.
To another question, Bhurt told the House that in two years, from 2008 to 2010, the anti-corruption department registered cases against more than 1,200 government officers and officials for their involvement in embezzlement in public exchequer.  He said that his department registered a case against the former Tehseel Nazims of Latifababd and Hyderabad for their involvement in corruption of Rs4 million in the electric material purchased for Tehseel Latifabad of Hyderabad district. He said that investigation into financial corruption against the two former nazims of Latifabad had been completed, which had been submitted with the Anti-Corruption Committee-1, which works under the chief secretary of the Sindh government. He said that a vigilance committee led by assistant director of anti-corruption department had been established, which would ensure eradication of corruption from the department.
The lawmakers while asking supplementary questions said the government officers who involved in corruption was not being taken for task as they enjoying their posting on senior posts in the department. The Sindh Assembly also passed a bill for establishment of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Veterinary University in Sakrand. The objective of the university was to research in the diseases in the animals, birds and wild birds in the province. Minister for Law Muhammad Ayaz Soomro told the House that the poultry and other faculties will be established in the university as currently there is no any veterinary university in the province, where research could be conducted to protect the animals from diseases.
Meanwhile, the report of auditor general of Pakistan on district governments of the Sindh for 2011-12 was laid in the house.
The report of the committee on law department for enhancement in salary and allowances of provincial ministers, advisors, MPAs, Speaker and Deputy Speaker of Sindh Assembly was presented in the assembly.
The report, presented by the chairman of committee Syed Bachal Shah, recommended enhancement of at least 60 per cent in the salaries and allowances of the MPAs of the Sindh Assembly, while 40pc increase has been recommended in the salary and allowances of the Speaker, Deputy Speaker, Provincial Ministers, Advisors and Special Assistants of the Sindh Government. The enforcement on the recommendation of the report has been suggested from July 2011. After presentation of the report, law minister Ayaz Soomro urged the chair to defer the presentation of the report as the financial condition does not allow enhancing the salaries and allowances for MPAs, ministers and advisors of the province. Sindh Culture Minister Sassui Palijo told the House that she has directed the secretary and other officials of her department to ensure that the 395 statues of Gandhara civilisation were recently seized by the police are properly showcased at national museum Karachi within 10 days.
She said court had given its verdict in favour of Sindh and now the statues were the property of archeology department, devolved to Sindh after 18th amendment in the Constitution.
She said that 33 per cent of the seized 395 statues were surely original of Ghandhara civilisation, adding that all the statues would be examined in the laboratory to ascertain if they are original or not.
Palijo said that the seized statues would be put on public display after Eidul Fitr.
Moreover, Sindh Education Minister Pir Mazharul Haq told the House that the Sindh government will not recruit the PST-passed teachers who were currently protesting in front of the Karachi Press Club as in the examinations they were not fulfilled the merit.
He said that the World Bank was financing the Sindh education reforms programme involving Rs8 billion, so the government would not violate the merit. Earlier, MPA Nusrat Sehar Abbasi of PML-F on point of order raised the issue of protesting PST passed teachers and urged the government to induct the protesting teachers as PPP govt always promised to give jobs.  MPA Haji Munwar Abbasi of ruling PPP also raised the issue of 19 contractual lecturers of education department, urging the government to regularize their services. He said that the contractual period of lecturers is ending on August 27 this month, so the government should extend their contractual period for one year more until their services were made permanent.
Meanwhile, Law Minister Muhammad Ayaz Soomro told the House that the culprit police officers have been inducted in a case and have been arrested under the crime of naked parade of a man and woman in Gambat in Khairpur district, which is the home district of Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah.  Soomro said that police department had issued show-cause notice to the SHO and other cops involved in the crime to dismiss their services.
Meanwhile, Alwani demanded the government to arrange a briefing of election commission for the MPAs, so that the increasing complaints of reduced votes of Sindh in the final voter list can be addressed.
Later, the Speaker readout the order of governor and prorogued the proceedings of the Sindh Assembly for indefinite period.