Forward bloc in Sindh govt in the making?

KARACHI: Some thirty to forty percent legislators of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) are under inquiry by National Accountability Bureau (NAB) allegedly for having assets beyond known source of income.

Sources say that the situation could lead to change of loyalties and probably to formation of any forward block to change the provincial government. There are 99 members of PPP in the 168-strong Sindh Assembly. Out of 99 treasury members, around 36 are under inquiry of NAB. Up to 85 members are required to form government.

Sources said there were chances of formation of a dissent group within the party. An MPA who belongs to Larkana division is not happy with party leadership for being denied minister-ship for continuous two terms. The sources said that he may lead the group.

No PPP leader was ready to comment on the record but majority of them off the record confirmed that there are chances for formation of a forward block. Some said due to 18th amendment, formation of a forward bloc is out of question.

They said the PPP central leadership was fully aware of the situation and trying its best to overcome it. Some, however, said that if an action is taken against the party leadership in ongoing money laundering case, situation will change and many members could leave the party that could cause a change in provincial government.

On Thursday, NAB raided house of Jam Khan Shoro, a former provincial local government minister and incumbent MPA from Hyderabad, after issuing formal announcement of release of his arrest warrants. Shoro, however, succeeded to get protective bail from Sindh High Court. Shoro was booked for alleged embezzlement, misuse of authority, allotment of land and awarding illegal tenders.

According to NAB sources some 36 MPAs, including two high profile personalities, some former ministers and MPAs, 120 officers of upper grades, some secretaries including a former chief secretary, many officials of lower grades are under investigations in some 450 NAB inquiries of alleged corruption of billions of rupees, misuse of authority and making of illegal appointments.

MPA Sharjeel Inam Memon is behind bars for alleged corruption of millions of rupees and former ministers Zia Lanjar, Suhail Anwar Sial, Mumtaz Jakhrani, Speaker Agha Siraj Durani are under inquiry of NAB.

NAB sources said that recent transfers of Directors General of Sindh (Karachi and Sukkur) were due to their soft role towards the ruling party leaders’ inquiries; and in coming days there would be comprehensive actions against all corrupt elements.

NAB Spokesman Nawazish Ali told ‘The News’ that this is not correct that 50 percent legislatives of PPP Sindh are facing NAB Inquiries. Since its inception, NAB has recovered Rs297 billion from corrupt elements and deposited it in the national exchequer which is a record achievement.

In August NAB has wrote a letter to Chief Secretary Sindh for the provision of record of contracts of all Sindh government departments dealing with the development projects.

Authority directed Sindh government to submit the record of works awarded, copies of work orders along with the administrative approval of contracts amounting to Rs50 million or above of all Sindh government, local government, all attached departments, statutory corporations and authorities.

The PPP on July 2, 2017 passed ‘National Accountability Ordinance 1999 Repeal Bill 2017’ in Sindh Assembly aimed to bar the NAB actions in Sindh province. This Bill could not be implemented due to strong opposition by the federal government, legal circles and opposition parties which.