Daily Times

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Thursday directed the provincial government to spell out the details of the annual development schemes launched for Larkana since 2008.

A division bench, headed by Chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, directed the government to provide the details of the development projects on which the government claims that Rs 23,119.69 million had already been spent since 2008. The bench gave this direction while hearing a petition against PPP MNA Faryal Talpur, former Ratodero nazim Shafqat Hussain Soomro, former law minister Ayaz Soomro and others for allegedly misappropriating the development funds for PPP’s hometown.

At the outset, Advocate General Zameer Ghumro submitted a statement giving the details of the funds spent on the annual development project (ADP) schemes for Larkana since 2008.

According to the statement, Rs 38,397.08 million were allocated for the development and beautification of Larkana, out of which Rs 31,852.13 million were released, whereas only Rs23,119.69 million were spent on the schemes. Bashir Ahmed Kalhoro, a resident of Larkana, had petitioned the high court against PPP women wing leader Talpur, who is also the sister of party co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari, PPP MNA Ayaz Soomro and Shafqat, former DCO and director of the Larkana development project and others over their alleged involvement in embezzlement and misappropriation of development funds.

In the petition, he submitted that after the election in 2008, the PPP-led government announced development schemes worth Rs 12 billion for development and beautification of Larkana. The renovations of roads and other development works were to be executed with these funds, but the same had been embezzled and no improvement in the dilapidated condition of streets was witnessed, he added. Besides, substandard material was used, leading to the destruction of roads and other developments projects shortly after their reconstruction, he alleged.

PPI