KARACHI: A tug of war continues between two senior officers for the prized post of Accountant General Sindh which handles all finances of the province, according to reliable sources.

The province’s finances stood at Rs 686 billion after the end of financial year 2013-14.

According to the sources, both the officers are from the Pakistan Audit and Accounts Service (PAAS) and besides issuance of notifications, litigation has been started not only by them but also by the Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP).

One of the officers, Shaikh Mohammad Ashraf (BPS 21), who has been holding the post of AG Sindh for the past few years, is scheduled to retire on Aug 25. But on July 16, the Controller General of Accounts (CGA), mentioning an order of the Establishment Division, issued an order repatriating various officers, including Mr Ashraf, to their parent offices.

Province’s finances stood at Rs686 billion after the end of financial year 2013-14

The same day, the AGP wrote a letter to the CGA informing it that the former was cadre administrator of PAAS officers and only he (AGP) could make transfers and postings and, therefore, the CGA’s order was being “held in abeyance” with immediate effect. The officers have been directed not to leave their posts till further orders.

In her next order issued on July 17, the CGA said the charge of AG Sindh had been given to Siraj Mustafa Jokhio (BPS 20).

Consequently, AGP Akhtar Buland Rana filed a petition in the Islamabad High Court against Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, the federal finance secretary, establishment secretary, CGA Farah Tarin and other officers. He contended that he was holding the constitutional position and the respondents be restrained from interfering in his administrative functions.

On July 18, the high court issued an order restraining the respondents from interfering in the constitutional and administrative domain of the petitioner – AGP.

The CGA modified the earlier order and issued a notification on July 23 stating that Ahsan Ali Kehar (BPS 20) was made AG Sindh in his own pay and scale (OPS) and Ashraf Shaikh was relieved of his duty with immediate effect.

Mr Shaikh challenged the notification in the Sindh High Court the same day.

The SHC in its order said: “Till the next date impugned notification as attached to this application is suspended”.

The court fixed the next hearing on Aug 6 and issued notices to the respondents, including the federal secretaries of establishment and finance, the AGP and CGA.

Meanwhile, the new AG Sindh, Ahsan Kehar, also filed a petition in the SHC, saying that he had been appointed by the CGA who had the powers to do so. He alleged that some elements were trying to get him removed from the post so that they could tamper with the record relating to an inquiry initiated by the National Accountability Bureau into alleged financial irregularities in the AG Sindh office.

The SHC, in its Aug 4 verdict, ordered issuance of notices to the respondents for Aug 19 and said that till the next hearing no coercive action be taken against the petitioner, including his transfer from the post of AG Sindh.

Published in Dawn, August 5th, 2014