SHC wants report on action against local govt ghost employees by Dec 21

NAB’s Karachi chief tenders apology for missing hearings,

says he was not informed by the staff concerned

The Sindh High Court directed the local bodies secretary on Tuesday to submit a report on the action taken against “ghost” employees in his department.

The National Accountability Bureau Karachi Director General Sirajul Naeem appeared before the court and tendered an unconditional apology for not appearing last time saying that he was informed about the notice by the staff concerned.

He submitted that necessary records had been given to the local government secretary so that action could be taken against ghost employees.

An SHC division bench headed by Chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah observed that once the records were given to the secretary, he would act in accordance with the law and submit a detailed report by December 21.

The court was hearing a petition filed by Dur Mohammad Shah against the non-utilisation of development funds in Madeji union council of Garhi Yaseen.

The petitioner submitted that the total budget of Garhi Yaseen was about Rs.15.5 million but most of this fund was being embezzled.

The court was informed that garbage and sewage water had not been removed from the roads and streets because of staff shortage and the sanitary employees hired by the previous local government over political grounds were not performing their duties and only drawing their salaries.

The court on the previous hearing had directed local bodies secretary to take action against the employees who were appointed in violation of the rules in Garhi Yasin district and submit a compliance report.

The local government secretary submitted that the action could not be taken as over 9,000 files of ghost employees were taken away by NAB authorities.

The court had directed the NAB director general to appear before the court along with the ghost employees’ records so that action could be taken against them but he failed to appear and a show cause notice was issued to him.