HYDERABAD - Sindh Minister for Industries, Commerce, Anti-Corruption and Cooperative Department Jam Ikramullah Dharejo has said that the provincial government was making all out efforts to root out corruption from the departments and ensure a corruption free atmosphere so that the grievances of the masses could be addressed through good governance without any delay.

Presiding over a meeting with the divisional heads of provincial government departments at Shahbaz Hall on Wednesday regarding elimination of corruption and good governance, the minister said that PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Syed Murad Ali Shah have issued clear instructions to take action against corrupt officers, officials and employees in order to maintain the good governance for the welfare of the people. He directed all the officers to deal with the pending inquiries as soon as possible within their purview and initiate strict departmental action against those who involved in corruption.

He said that a process of self-accountability should be created in all departments so that transparency could be maintained within the departments.  

He observed that as a result of negligence of the officers in the development works, there are complaints about substandard materials and delays which badly affect the performance of the government; therefore, there is a need for each department to hold such officers and staff accountable through self-accountability.  He said that if anyone has a complaint against the officers of the anti-corruption department, he should inform and assure that strict action will be taken against the officers and employees involved in the corruption. He said that time has come to completely eradicate corruption from the province and discourage corruption at all levels so that the people could take sigh of relief.

The meeting was attended by Chairman Anti-Corruption Iqbal Memon, Commissioner Hyderabad Muhammad Abbas Baloch, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Hyderabad Fawad Ghaffar Soomro and officers from various provincial government departments. Later, talking to media, the minister was critical over banning gas supply to the industries of Sindh, adding that the province is producing 70 percent of the gas from which the industries and of other provinces are getting benefits but Sindh has been deprived of such a decision.

He demanded the withdrawal of such a decision and also stoppage of gas load management so that the industrialists of Sindh could take sigh of relief.

Responding to a question, the minister refuted the propaganda from some political parties about any deal of PPP, adding that party leaders and workers had rendered great sacrifices for the restoration of democracy and the party would continue its struggle.

He said that PPP fully believed in the power of the people and the party leadership and workers are ready to sacrifice instead of making deals.

Replying to another question, he said that legislation is being enacted in the Anti-Corruption Department to improve the prosecution and investigation procedures for which a summary with amendments has been tabled for passage so that the department could function more efficiently.

The minister on the occasion appealed to the people to strictly follow the standard operating procedures (SOPs) against COVID-19 in order to save themselves from pandemic which claimed the lives of scores of people in the province.