CM asks Sindh AG to endorse funds for release of 30 buses from port

Taking serious notice of the delay in the release of 30 newly imported Chinese buses from the Karachi Port, Sindh Caretaker Chief Minister Justice (retd) Maqbool Baqar has warned the Accountant General (AG) Sindh to release the required amount for the purpose without any further delay.

“If any decay or fault is occurred in these buses, the Accountant General will be held responsible,” the CM said in a statement issued by the CM Secretariat on Monday. 

The CM said the buses had already landed at the Karachi port and the provincial government had released the required amount of Rs1,000 million endorsed by the Treasury Office, Karachi, but the AG Sindh refused to accept the endorsement.

The Accounting Offices endorse cheques in the name of the beneficiary or a bank manager along with the scroll. The Finance Division has clarified that the term "Accounting Office" includes Treasury Offices. This means that Assignment Account cheques can be endorsed by the Treasury Office (TO). This information was conveyed to AG Sindh's office on November 11, 2023.

Despite the Finance Department of the Sindh government advising in favour of the Treasury Officer Karachi for endorsing the cheques, the AG Sindh ignored this advice. Furthermore, the AG's office sent a letter on November 27, 2023, restricting National Bank branches in Karachi to only honour cheques endorsed by the AG, which disabled the Treasury Office Karachi from performing its duties. As a result, all necessary expenses related to dishonoured advice are currently on hold.

The CM has advised the AG Sindh to resolve the issue of payment within the next two days, otherwise, it would be held responsible for the decay and faults in the buses, if occurred.