Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah has removed Pakistan People’s Party (PPP)’s provincial Transport Minister Akhtar Jadoon from his office after receiving a number of complaints against the minister. However, Jadoon will continue to enjoy the status of a provincial minister without portfolio, Pakistan Today has learnt.
Well-placed sources told Pakistan Today that the chief minister had received dozens of serious complaints, including appointment of favourites in the Sindh Transport Department, against the minister.
However, what spelled the end of Jadoon was that he and Qaim had been at loggerheads over induction of their own blue-eyed boys in the Transport Department, they added. “The transport minister used to disobey the orders issued by the chief executive.”
In a recent case, the chief minister had appointed a PPP activist, Rasheed Abro, as the administrator of the Karachi Public Transport Education Society (KPTS), which generates huge revenue. Later overruling the order, Jadoon appointed his own friend Sarwar Khan on the key post.
The KPTS is assigned to provide better transportation facilities to the citizens besides assisting in maintenance and supervision of transport-related facilities including bus stops, terminals, removal of encroachments and social education. The society is also responsible for replacement of old and obsolete vehicles in order to control air and noise pollution; take necessary measures to control and prevent road accidents; and guidance of victims of traffic incidents.
The sources also alleged that the transport minister had also misappropriated funds for Drivers Training while appointing a retired man, Yar Mohammad Mirjat, on a number of assignments in his department on a monthly salary of reported to be around Rs 350,000.
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