Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah has issued directives to the officers to return vehicles of their previous departments within a week, otherwise FIRs would be registered against them. Taking notice of the reports and inquiries that some senior officers even after their transfer from one department to another are still occupying the vehicles of their former departments. "This is unwarranted and cannot be tolerated. This practice must be brought to an end, otherwise criminal cases would be registered against the delinquent officers," he directed Chief Secretary Siddique Memon.

He said that government gives vehicles to concerned officers according to their entitlement with the purpose to facilitate them in discharging their duties. "This is public property and it can be utilised only in the public interest. Misuse of vehicles turns to be dishonesty and shows lack of professionalism among the concerned officers," he said.

Talking about the vehicles of S&GAD, Sindh Technical Education & Vocational Training Authority (STEVTA), police department, Education, local government and local bodies and various other departments, provincial authorities and autonomous bodies of the provincial government, the chief minister urged the chief secretary to compile a computerised list of their vehicles along with the allottee/officer using it. "There are reports that some private people are using government vehicles. How it is possible that without any justification or authority they have been given government vehicles," he said and added that a thorough inquiry into the matter must be conducted.

Shah also directed CMIT to conduct an inquiry into the vehicles being used by unauthorised officers, missing vehicles, if any apart from the departmental inquiry to be conducted by the chief secretary. He gave one week to the officers to return the vehicle of their previous departments, otherwise FIRs would be registered against them.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2016