Notwithstanding the Election Commission of Pakistan had barred the Sindh government from making new recruitments after December 2012, the zakat and ushr department, which disburses zakat funds among the needy, dished out governments jobs to their relatives with senior officials having the major share in such recruitments.
Interestingly, the zakat and ushr additional secretary, who was chairman of the recruitment committee, got his sons, a daughter and two of his family drivers appointed in his department. Besides, the official also made a number of extra appointments that resulted in non-release of salaries of these appointees for the last five months, insiders told Pakistan Today.
There were total 24 vacant positions in the department of zakat, ushr and religious affairs. And a high-level committee comprising Additional Secretary Zakat, Ushr and Religious Affairs Haneef Mirchiwala as its chairman, Additional Secretary Services, General Administration and Coordination Department (SGA&CD) Tayyab Hussain and a section officer (admin) was made for the whole recruitment process.
These recruitments, their medical fitness and police verification were done in the mid of January 2013 that clearly shows violating the orders of the election commission.
According to a confidential list of appointees exclusively available with the Pakistan Today, Hamid Hanif, son of Haneef Mirchiwala, was appointed as auditor BPS-14, his daughter Sobia Haneef as auditor BPS-14 and two of his drives were also appointed in the department.
According to the list, Faizan Jalal son of Mohd Jalal, Bilawal Ali son of Aijaz Ali, Jameel Ahmed Siyal son of Ghulam Qadir, Anthony son of Parvaz, Irfan son of Fazalur Rehman and Fayaz Qadir son of Abdul Qadir Abbasi were recommended by the Chief Minister House for their appointments on different posts.
The then minister zakat, ushr and religious affairs, Sajid Jokio, recommended Mushtaq Ahmed son Murad Mohammad, Ghulam Rasool son of Mohd Yousuf, Faqeer Mohammad son of Ali Khan, Zeeshan Ahmed Siddiqui son of Naseem Siddiqui, Akhtar Ali son of Dodo Khan, Asim Khan son of Karamdad, Mohammad Aslam son of Ali Mashoq Rashidi, Babo Mehtab son of Nazakat Ali, Noman son of Amanullah Pir Sarhandi, Mohammad Aslam Khoso son of Pir Mohammad, Shafique Ahmed son of Abdul Hanan, Allah Bux son of Mohammad Sajjan, Tariq Aziz son of Murad Bux, Shahzaman son of Habibullah, Adnan Ashraf son of Mohammad Ashraf, Mohammad Khalid son of Ali Mohammad, Ashfaque Ahmed Siyal and Ali Murad and Khuda Bux for various posts in the department.
The zakat and ushr secretary recommended Hameed Khan son of Anwar Shah, Nizakat Ali Soho son of Ghulam Ali Soho, Naeem Raza Jumani son of Mir Hazar Khan Jumani, Saddam Hussain son of Malik Mohammad Akram, Kamran Jumani son of Imdad Ali Jumani, Shaoib-ur-Rehman son of Dilshad Ali, Ahsan Nadeem son of Nadeem Nazir, Sajjad son of Mohammad Usman Solangi, Soomal Jumani daughter of Ghulam Ali Jumani and Ravi Shankar son of Chettan Das.
The additional secretary zakat and ushr, Hameef Mirchiwala, recommended his son Hamid Hanif, daughter Sobia Haneef, two drivers Ahsan Raza son of Safder Mehdi and Amin Khan son of Firoz Khan and Ghulam Ahmed son of Ghulam Akbar as accountant.
Interestingly, the SGA&CD additional secretary, who was supposed to ensure recruitments on merit also recommended Zeeshan son of Iqbal, Irfan Atiqur Rehman son of Atiqur Rehman, Ghulam Akbar son of Mehbood Ali and Shahryar son of Mohammad Qayyum for different positions.
The sources said there were some 24 vacant positions, however, more than 53 persons were recruited that had created salary problems for the others staff recommended by Chief Minister House and the minister of zakat and ushr.