Equipment, documents of 17 devolved ministries stolen?

ISLAMABAD: Some highly important documents and precious office equipment of 17 devolved federal ministries has been gradually stolen from the storehouse of the Devolution Cell due to lack of effective monitoring mechanism, especially during the monsoon season, when the rainwater damaged the stored items, The News has learnt.
“It has become a common sight that outsiders enter the storehouse established in the basement of LG Complex in Sector G-5/2 in connivance with some officials and leave the venue carrying official files and other office equipment such as computers. The building also houses offices of the Health and the Climate Change ministries so the store is also in the direct access of the government officials who are often seen intruding into it with impunity,” sources said.
The sources said the official files of the devolved ministries having record of almost past six decades were also placed in the storehouse but now dozens of them have gone missing.
“There were many other things in the storehouse that are now missing including air conditioners, furniture, computers, printers, scanners, motor vehicles and motor bikes,” the sources said.
According to the official record, the Devolution Cell headed by a joint secretary was established in the Cabinet Division on January 13, 2011.
The vehicles of devolved, ministries/divisions were taken over by the CPC Wing while other physical assets such as furniture were taken over by General Section of the Cabinet Division.
After creation of new ministries assets, machinery/equipment, buildings of the devolved ministries were supposed to be taken over either by the Cabinet Division or by the ministries concerned where the functions of the devolved ministries were re-allocated.
The record showed that physical verification of the assets and vehicles of the devolved ministries was carried out by the committee comprising Deputy Secretary (Admin) Asghar Gondal, Deputy Director (Devolution) Dr Muhammad Iqbal Bhutta and Section Officer (Devolution) M Ishaq that submitted its report to the concerned authorities.
When contacted, Secretary Cabinet Raja Hasan Abbas told The News that it is not easy to access the official record and equipment placed in the storehouse in LG Complex but still he would seek details from the joint secretary who heads the Devolution Cell.
“We have a proper monitoring mechanism and no one is allowed to illegally access the official record and equipment in the storehouse. I will personally look into the matter and review details about the monitoring mechanism put in place by the relevant officials,” he said.