Daily Times

KARACHI: Karachi Mayor Waseem Akhtar has transferred a finance official of Karachi Metropolitan Corporation on his refusal to issue a cheque of Rs 15 million to a private service provider company.

Mayor Waseem Akhtar also issued transfer order of M Asif, Additional Director of Welfare Department KMC, to post him in place of Anwar Ali Zaidi, Additional Director Finance-I KMC, who has been asked to report to the KMC Welfare Department.

Transfer and postings are made on administrative grounds.

Officials of the Finance Department have revealed that Anwar Ali Zaidi refused to release funds on grounds that Leapfrong, a service provider company, is involved in a case against the city, provincial and federal governments and the National Accountability Bureau in the Sindh High Court. The petitioner, Faisal Vawda son of M Omer Vawda, has prayed to the court that the city mayor is involved in corruption of Rs 9 billion, and he has also accused Leapfrong Company of being involved in the matter.

Leapfrong was awarded a contract of approximately Rs 40 million for supply of uniforms for KMC firemen but not a single uniform had so far been supplied to department. In his reply in court, the CFO of the Fire Department denied awarding any tender for uniforms to this company during 2015-2018.

Another case against Leapfrong involves award of a contract of Rs 15 million for maintenance, repair and allied works of snorkels. None of these snorkels have so far been made operational and they still lie idle at Sohrab Goth Fire Station.

Both cases are still pending hearing in the court, while NAB has already obtained relevant documents from the company. NAB is still inquiring into the cases to ascertain facts about matter, KMC officials maintained.

The KMC officials also claimed that a close aide of the mayor was threatening officials to issue the Rs 15 million cheque to Leapfrong.

In the petition, it is stated that KMC has already released Rs 15 million to the service provider company and this second attempt to pay another equivalent amount to the company after four months is tantamount to financial corruption.

In an another identical move, the city mayor has removed Abdul Jabbar Bhatti, former Director Welfare who is currently serving as the senior Director Finance and Accounts Department, from his post. He has been directed to report to the Metropolitan Commissioner, KMC till further orders.

Furthermore, Tasneem Ahmed, senior Director Human Resources Management KMC, on the directive of the mayor has constituted a committee comprising the Director Welfare KMC, the Director Internal Audit and the Assistant Director, LFA, to probe the matter of pensioners’ cheques that got bounced.

The committee has been directed to submit its findings, recommendation and ways and means within a period of 15 days to ascertain facts behind bouncing of cheques. The committee is bound to examine and inquire into matter of cheques. The committee will be bound to suggest issuance and safe and sound delivery of cheques to pensioners.

In addition an another transfer order issued by the mayor in which, Imran Ahmed, an officer of BPS-19, awaiting posting, has been placed at disposal of financial advisor, KMC for further posting.

Published in Daily Times, November 16^th 2018.