Latest news with #NisarAhmedKhuhro
Express Tribune
4 days ago
- Business
- Express Tribune
Over 90 illegal housing schemes operating in Hyd
As many as 137 housing schemes were operating illegally in Hyderabad but the builders and developers of some 43 of them have so far fulfilled formalities to secure the official approvals while the rest are still unauthorised. The Sindh Assembly's Public Accounts Committee, which held a hearing in Karachi on Thursday, directed Hyderabad Development Authority (HDA) to take action against all those 94 schemes. The PAC's chairman Nisar Ahmed Khuhro also expressed dismay over delay in collection of around Rs2.5 billion dues from the builders. He asked the HDA's Director General Asghar Ali Ghangro to immediately issue notices for payment of the dues failing which the authority should seal offices of the delinquent builders. Khuhro told Ghangro not to show any leniency. Ghangro briefed the PAC that around 137 schemes were allotting plots and built up properties without securing the necessary approvals. However, some 43 builders and sponsors after meeting the requirements regularised their projects. A majority of the housing schemes in Hyderabad launch booking of the plots and built-up residential units without securing water supply and drainage NOCs. Although, water is mostly made available to such schemes, the drainage from such projects often ends up in the rivers, canals and distributaries. A good number of new housing projects are fast replacing the once agricultural fields along Hyderabad bypass road. But these schemes also lack connectivity with the city's drainage network.
Express Tribune
5 days ago
- Business
- Express Tribune
PAC orders sacking of 19 fake KDA employees
SIDCL had now been transferred to the Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives. PHOTO: FILE The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Sindh Assembly has ordered the dismissal of 19 Karachi Development Authority (KDA) employees after it was confirmed that their appointments were fake. The directive came during a PAC meeting held on Thursday under the chairmanship of senior PPP leader Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, which reviewed audit paras of the Karachi Development Authority (KDA), Hyderabad Development Authority (HDA) and the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA). Attendees at the meeting included PAC member Taha Ahmed, KDA Director General Asif Jan Siddiqui, HDA DG Asghar Ali Ghanghro, and the WASA CEO. The committee was informed that although the KDA has 4,000 sanctioned posts, only 2,200 employees are currently working. An internal inquiry identified 53 suspected fake employees, of whom 19 were confirmed bogus, while the verification process for the remaining staff is still underway. Taking serious notice of the delay in action, Khuhro questioned why disciplinary proceedings had not been initiated against the confirmed cases. The KDA DG informed the committee that the case had been referred to the Local Government Department and assured that termination letters would be issued shortly. The parliamentary corruption watchdog also expressed concern over the absence of a biometric attendance system in the KDA. The DG admitted that no digital attendance mechanism exists at present, although barcodes are used for tracking files and property-related transactions. He said steps were being taken to introduce a biometric system. The committee took strong exception to the reclassification and commercial allotment of amenity plots, which it termed a violation of Supreme Court orders. Audit officials told the PAC that several plots reserved for public amenities were leased out to private commercial entities, including Sindbad Park and South City Hospital. The KDA DG informed the committee that a 28,000-square-yard plot was leased to Sindbad Park between 1981 and 2016 at a nominal rate of Rs5 per square yard, with a monthly rent of Rs1 million. A revised agreement in 2016 increased the rate to Rs18 per square yard, raising the monthly rent to Rs1.5 million. In the case of South City Hospital, a 3,000-square-yard plot initially allotted to Marvi Medical Centre was reallocated following the cancellation of the earlier allotment in 2023. The new allotment was made at a rate of Rs37,000 per square yard on court orders. Khuhro questioned why the land was not leased at prevailing market rates, raising concerns about loss to the exchequer. The PAC directed the provincial chief secretary to constitute a special inquiry committee to thoroughly investigate the matter and determine whether the allotments were made in accordance with rules and regulations. The PAC also expressed concern over the alleged diversion of Rs527 million from pension and General Provident Fund (GPF) accounts to meet salary shortfalls. The matter has been referred to the Local Government secretary for a detailed probe.
Express Tribune
18-04-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
PPP demands IRSA chairman's resignation over 'water theft'
The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has demanded the resignation of Indus River System Authority (IRSA) Chairman Zafar Mehmood over the controversy surrounding the opening of the Taunsa-Panjnad Link Canal in Punjab at a time when Sindh is suffering from a chronic water shortage. PPP's Sindh President Nisar Ahmed Khuhro declared in Hyderabad on Thursday that the decision to open the canal is unconstitutional and reflects an utter failure on IRSA's part. He contended that both the Taunsa and Chashma-Jhelum link canals are flood canals, meant to carry water only during the flood season - unlike the prevailing spell of drought. "The IRSA chairman should accept his failure to close these canals, which are operating unlawfully, and tender his resignation," he said. Khuhro argued that the authority has failed to implement the 1991 Water Accord in letter and spirit - stopping the theft of river water and ensuring Sindh receives its rightful share.
Express Tribune
28-03-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Pressure builds up on PPP against canals project
The nationalist and anti-canal activists have built up pressure on the Pakistan Peoples Party for the withdrawal of its support to the federal government. Responding to the pressure, PPP Sindh president, Nisar Ahmed Khuhro has said that his party's street protest is the first step towards building pressure on the government. At a press conference in Hyderabad on Thursday Khuhro reiterated that the PPP is being criticised for buttressing PML-N government and its policies. "But, contrarily, the fact is neither we are in the central government nor do we have any federal ministry." He asserted that the PPP's only purpose behind what is being perceived as N-league government's support is to see continuity of democracy. He maintained that President Asif Ali Zardari has no authority to sanction or reject projects regarding the construction of six new canals on the Indus River. He said the project was also not brought before the parliament for approval. Khuhro said, PPP had grudgingly accepted the 1991 water accord but the incumbent government wants to change even that accord. He pointed out that the Council of Common Interest (CCI) is the platform which is supposed to resolve disputes like the water sharing among the provinces. However, he regretted, the CCI's meeting has not been convened for years. "Over 4 million acres of land in downstream of Kotri Barrage has become uncultivable because of water scarcity," he lamented. "But I feel sad that the N-League has learned nothing from the political storm which Kalabagh Dam had created in the country." Khuhro also blamed the PML-N for silently accepting construction of Thall canal by a military general. He explained that water for the controversial Cholistan canal, which aims to turn desert region in a sprawling green one, will be drawn from the Indus through the greater Thall canal and Sutlej River.
Express Tribune
26-03-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
PPP stages protest against canals
PPP workers stage a protest march in Badin against the plan to build more canals on the Indus River in Punjab. Photo: Express The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has planned to jog memories of its anti-Kalabagh Dam protests as it ups the ante of demonstrations against the construction of six new canals on the Indus River. Party's Sindh President Nisar Ahmed Khuhro told a rally on Dulha Darya bridge in Thatta district on Tuesday that in the next phase of their protest, sit-in demonstrations will be held in all talukas of the province. He informed that party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will address public meetings starting from April 4 by going to divisional headquarters one after another. He added that sit-in on the national highway is also being planned. "The protest movement will continue until the federal government withdraws plan to build Cholistan and other canals." He recalled that the movement against Kalabagh Dam had also started from Thatta district in the 1990s. Referring to some leaders of the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) of Pir Pagara Sibghatullah Shah Rashdi, Khuhro said many political figures who are today opposing the canals publicly supported Kalabagh Dam in the past. "Liaquat Jatoi [a Dadu district based politician] even organised rallies for former dictator Pervez Musharraf in support of the dam." He also recalled that Jatoi, when he was the chief minister, influenced the then Sindh Assembly speaker Syed Jalal Mehmood Shah to postpone a planned session of the assembly in which a resolution was scheduled to be moved against the dam. "Those who used to sit in the lap of Musharraf and supported Kalabagh Dam are today criticising the PPP's leadership for secretly supporting the canals."
