LDA officials to face pay cut if found absent from duty: Ghani

Sindh Minister for Local government Saeed Ghani has directed the authorities to issue a show-cause notice to the director general of the Lyari Development Authority (LDA) and other officers for their absence at their offices on Friday.

“Those who do not show up at 9am have no place in the department. I will keep showing up here at 9am every day and keep checking all the departments,” Ghani said as he made a surprise visit to LDA on Friday and found the LDA DG along with the majority of the officers and employees absent/

He ordered deducting the one-day salary of the absent officials and holding an inquiry to ascertain why the LDA DG was holding nine different positions. He sought a report in this regard.

The minister also made surprise visits to the KDA and the KWSB where DG KDA Samiuddin Siddiqi was absent. He was informed that the DG was on a visit to the Green Line bus service project. Siddiqi was summoned and he immediately reported to the minister at the KDA.

Ghani also visited the Command and Control Centre of the Civic Centre and examined its operations in detail. He said efforts were being made for the completion of a 100 mgd project for the city and expected that it would be completed within the stipulated period of time or before.

He also held a meeting at the KWSB and warned the officers to be punctual. Talking to media at the KWSB and the KDA, Ghani said his top priority was to provide equitable water in Karachi and, for this, plans were underway for a desalination plant to make sea water potable to overcome the acute water shortage.

He ordered all illegal constructions in Karachi to be stopped, and warned actions would be taken against officers responsible for such illegal activities as lands were being usurped as a result of their negligence.

He was informed at the KWSB that various employees and officers were absent because they were facing trial in courts. The suspended KWSB employees during his visit lodged a protest against their suspensions. Ghani assured them he would look into their cases after which they left the place peacefully.

The minister said that on a daily basis, he would make surprise visits to any local government department and asked all the employees along with their heads to be present in their offices from 9am till 5pm.

Referring to the officers of the local government department, he warned them to perform their duties or face accountability. He added that this was the last warning and he would not give them further time. Ghani ordered a biometric system to be installed in the KDA and the LDA within 24 hours for attendance.

‘Media trial’

Ghani said the PPP had no objection to forming a JIT and it respected the judiciary as its leaders had always faced trial. He said a conspiracy was being hatched and a media trial was being held against PPP leaders, including ex-president Asif Ali Zardari and Faryal Talpur.

He asked as to why any firm would do money laundering for a few million rupees through a cross cheque. He said the FIA without naming anyone provided news to the media and the media was being provided with fake stories.