Although, the political reconciliation has affected a large number of people in the country, the provincial minister from the strong coalition – Muttehida Qaumi Movement – has become the victim of reconciliation with losing his office, causing miseries for the visitors, Pakistan Today has learnt.
The MQM’s leader and Sindh Minister for Commerce and Industries Mohammad Rauf Siddiqui was allotted decades old dilapidated office at Sindh Secretariat No 4-B, Barrack No 87 just opposite to the Sindh Assembly.
And the office was repaired, well-furnished and maintained by the department of industries and commerce with accommodation of private secretary to minister, public relation officers, couple of other staff.
Besides, the office had well-furnished waiting room for the investors, industrialists and the traders who used to visit minister’s office on regular basis.
After developing some difference with the ruling PPP-led government at the federal as well as in Sindh, the MQM had quit the coalition in June 2011. However, acting swiftly the Sindh government allotted Rauf Siddiqui’s office to an advisor belonging to another coalition partner – Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid-e-Azam – Haleem Adil Sheikh, sources told Pakistan Today..
Interestingly, when the MQM had again rejoined the coalition government, the Sindh government did not bother to allot particular office for the industries and commerce minister, causing serious hardships for the visiting delegation, staff of industries and commerce.
However, Rauf Siddiqui was running his department’s affairs from sitting regularly at camp office located within the Sindh Industrial and Trading Estates (SITE) Limited.
Under the Rules of Business of the Sindh government, a provincial minister is entitled to well-furnished separate office with telephone numbers, security and other staff so that the matters of the department could be run in smooth manner. But, with this case, it seemed that the commerce and industries minister has fallen prey to political reconciliation.
The general public visiting the office of Sindh commerce and industries minister is facing severe miseries as they have to approach the minister after travel of more than an hour. Besides, the lower staff dispatching official documents to the industries minister is also facing problems due to camp office located very far from the Sindh Secretariat – the provincial headquarter. Furthermore, sources said that the minister had time and again forwarded letters to the chief secretary for the allotment of a permanent office however no heed was paid to the request so far.
Rauf Siddiqui’s loss is Haleem Adil’s gain
