Daily Times

KARACHI: Sindh Minister for Culture, Tourism and Antiquities Syed Sardar Shah is allegedly trying to facilitate the Wedding Event Management Company namely M/s YNAMIX with another tranche of Rs 3 million for organizing second Sufi conference in 2016, it is learnt.

According to sources, former special assistant to Chief Minister Sindh for Culture, Tourism and Antiquities, Sharmila Farooqui, had awarded a contract of Rs 8.5 million to M/s YNAMIX for holding Horse & Cattle Show and the International Sufi Conference in April and May 2016.

The culture, tourism and antiquities department has the mandate to promote art and culture by organizing different culture programs/events for which the Sindh government allocates funds. The said funds are required to be incurred strictly in accordance with the SPRRA Financial Rules.

Ex-special assistant to CM for Culture and Tourism Sharmila Farooqi had arranged events and spent the funds at her sweet will through so called companies of her friends by involving subordinate officers, which not devastated the administration but promoted corruption. In this regard, some examples are highlighted as under.

The funds were released instead of lowest bidders to a company M/s YNAMIX Event Management, which had not even participated in the tender process and 80 cheques of total amount Rs 6,201,000 issued through Aijaz Ahmed Shaikh, the then DDO, Directorate General Culture, Sindh as advance on May 3, 2016 – four days before the event – and all 80 cheques released on the same day in the name of M/s YNAMIX. This company is registered as wedding event Management Company.

Interestingly, the assignment of 2nd International Sufi Conference organized by the Culture, Tourism and Antiquities Department on April 9 & 10, 2016 at Karachi was also entrusted to M/s YNAMIX and an amount of Rs 2,300,000 was released through 3 crossed cheques as advance on April 1, 8, 10, 2016, through Aijaz Ahmed Shaikh whereas the bills were submitted by the company on April 12, 2016, the official documents disclosed.

Now, the minister has ordered his department to prepare a summary worth Rs 3 million for the Secretary Culture and Tourism ordering release of outstanding dues to M/s YNAMIX. The summary has been prepared and moved to Additional Secretary, who holds the charge of Secretary, for the release of funds.