KARACHI: In view of the lengthy process of obtaining the letter of administration and succession certificates from courts, the Sindh government on Wednesday decided to enact Letters of Administration and Succession Certificate Bill-2020 so that it could be obtained directly from the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra).

The decision was taken in the Sindh cabinet meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah here at CM House. The meeting was attended by all the provincial ministers, law adviser, chief secretary and planning and development board chairman.

Law Adviser Murtaza Wahab while briefing the cabinet said currently letters of administration and succession certificates were being issued under Succession Act 1925 by the component courts having jurisdiction. As obtaining the administration and succession certificates from the court was a lengthy process, a law should be enacted to make it efficacious and speedy to curtail fraud and forgery as has been done by the federal government, the CM’s aide said.

IBA-selected headmasters to continue till appointments through SPSC

The cabinet approved the proposed draft law and referred it to the Sindh Assembly. Under the proposed law, the heirs of a deceased person will be able to apply for succession directly in Nadra for obtaining succession certificate.

Headmasters

The school education department told the cabinet that as many as 2,000 headmasters/headmistresses had been appointed on a contract basis through IBA Sukkur in 2015 and their contract was about to expire.

Education Minister Saeed Ghani told the cabinet that the court had directed his department to appoint headmasters through Sindh Public Service Commission (SPSC). The appointment through the commission would take some time, therefore the services of contract headmasters be continued till the appointment [of headmasters] through SPSC. The cabinet, after thorough discussions and deliberation, approved the request of the department and simultaneously directed the chief secretary to request the SPSC to expedite selection procedure.

Irrigation lands

The cabinet was told that the encroachments along the irrigation channels, lands and colonies had been identified.

Irrigation Minister Sohail Anwar Siyal told the cabinet that in the first phase, encroachments were being removed from the operational areas [the areas which create hindrances in the smooth flow of the irrigation water]. He proposed that encroachments also be removed from the irrigation lands where commercial activities had been started.

The cabinet approved the proposal and directed the irrigation department to expedite the work of removal of encroachments.

Allotment of vehicles

While taking up the requests of different departments for purchase of vehicles, the cabinet approved the suggestion that instead of purchasing new vehicles, the abandoned vehicles may be repaired and allotted to the entitled government employees.

Provincial ministers Shabbir Bijarani and Mukesh Chawla told the cabinet that due to minor mechanical faults, a large number of vehicles, particularly of 800CC and 1,000CC, had been left abandoned. They said the abandoned vehicles could be made operational with minor repairs. They proposed that instead of purchasing new vehicles, the abandoned vehicles be repaired and allotted to the entitled officials.

The cabinet approved the proposal and constituted Mr Bijarani-led committee, which would also comprise Mr Chawla and Mr Ghani, to prepare a policy for allotment of government vehicles to the entitled employees. The committee was also directed to prepare auction policy of abandoned vehicles and present the proposals within 15 days. The secretary for generation administration would act as secretary of the committee.

Low-cost housing

The provincial cabinet also constituted a committee to identify land for low- and medium-cost housing in katchi abadis in Karachi so that low-cost housing projects could be initiated there.

Minister for Local Government Syed Nasir Shah would head the committee that would also comprise ministers Bijarani and Chawla as its members.

Published in Dawn, January 7th, 2021