DC Sanghar sent on forced leave

SUKKUR: The Sindh government has sent the DC Sanghar on forced leave. The News has learnt from sources that the Sindh government had directed Deputy Commissioner, Sanghar, Muhammad Umar Farooq, to fully facilitate the PPPP candidate Jam Madad Ali in by-election of PS-81 Sanghar IV, which would be held on April 3, 2017, or go for rest.

According to sources, the DC Sanghar had made it clear to the ruling party that he would remain impartial and would not favour or facilitate any candidate. The DC also clarified that he would ensure his responsibility to hold fair and transparent election. The sources said that PPPP MNA Shazia Mari, MPA Shahid Thahim and by election candidate Jam Madad Ali had contacted the chief executive of Sindh and urged him to transfer the DC Sanghar. The sources further revealed that the chief minister, Sindh told them that there was ban on transfer and postings of officials, which was imposed by the Election Commission of Pakistan after the announcement of by election schedule, so he (CM) could not transfer the DC but would pressurise him to go on leave.

The sources said that the Sindh government again contacted the DC Sanghar and told him to pursue their orders or leave his office. The sources further disclosed that the DC refused again.

According to sources, later, the deputy commissioner was sent on one-month forced leave, however the chief secretary Sindh sanctioned the leave of DC, Sanghar and gave additional charge of DC to ADC Zohaib Mushtaq.

It is mentioned here that Jam Madad Ali Khan had contested the general election from PML-F platform and was defeated by PPPP candidate Muhammad Khan Junejo and later on Junejo was disqualified for possessing a fake degree. However, in June 2016. he won the by-elections from a PPPP candidate Asghar Ali Junaid Junejo by securing 35,548 votes, while his opponent received 34,175, giving the PML-F candidate a lead of 1,373 votes.

Jam Madad Ali, later on, had tendered his resignation from the Sindh Assembly seat by joining PPPP. The Election Commission of Pakistan declared the seat vacant and announced its schedule of by-election on April 3. There are four candidates, including Jam Madad Ali from PPPP, Jam Nafees Ali from PML-F, Tarriq Leghari candidate from JUI-F and Daim Khan and Shabir Ali are independent candidates.There are 127,292 voters in the constituency. PML-F candidate Jam Nafees, while talking to The News said that the DC Sanghar had been sent on forced leave and alleged pre-poll rigging in the by-election. He said that the DC Sanghar Muhammad Umar Farooq Bullo was doing a good job in Sanghar and his impartiality was famous in Sanghar and the citizens of Sanghar loved him. He said that all tactics were being applied by the Sindh government to get elected their candidates and said that he, in this regard, had written a letter to the Election Commission of Pakistan and demanded the deployment of army.