KW&SB Act likely to amended to fulfill World Bank conditions

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi 

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The Sindh cabinet is likely to amend Section 4 (1) of the KWSB Act, 1996 for reconstitution of the board to pave way for making the Mayor of Karachi as its Co-Chairman. 

The reconstitution of the board along with the proposed amendment, according to the sources, is being done on the pressure of the World Bank to make it free from political effects. 

It may be mentioned here that presently Najmi Alam, an activist of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), is acting as Co-Chairman of the board. 

The Sindh Government plans to further amend the KWSB Act as per satisfaction of the World Bank in the name of institutional reforms solely to get second tranche of US$ 700 million fund for the KWSB”s Services Improvement Project (KWSSIP). 

As per commitment of cooperation between the World Bank and Government of Sindh, the final draft for amendment in the KWSB Act was ready to be presented, it was disclosed. 

It may be recalled that present Administrator of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), Barrister Murtaza Wahab, has on numerous occasions, advocated for the inclusion of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KW&SB) under the command of Mayor Karachi. 

Meanwhile the Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC-1) could not meet owing to non-availability of MD, KW&SB, Asadullah Khan. However, it was learnt, that some other members of the committee did meet to consider the few performas related to promotion of officers and meeting of DPC-1 was postponed for indefinite period. 

The political activist Najmi Alam is said to have maneuvered to remain as co-chairman of KW&SB but failed and instead went forward to create a post of Vice Chairman on which the World Bank expressed its displeasure and called for abolition of this position. 

Since this move was rejected by the World Bank, his efforts through the cabinet could not bear fruit which has now moved for appointing Mayor as Co-Chairman. All backdoor efforts to grab power in the KW&SB affairs proved futile as Sindh Cabinet was not convinced with the proposal. 

It is also learnt that the KW&SB members snubbed the Managing Director for giving the impression that the DPC meeting was called on the directive of HRC whereas in its meeting on December 2, 2021, it has clearly delineated itself from such matters involving litigation and court orders. 

It has been gathered that the HRC meeting notice was cunningly manipulated by the Managing Director KW&SB thorough one Shoaib Tughlaq, attached with HRC, and displeasure was also expressed on this by Kabir Kazi, a senior bureaucrat. The HRC in its meeting, on December 2, is also believed to have emphasized upon the Managing Director to comply with the Supreme Court order for removal of OPC, OOC, OOT postings and promotions as well as ORC action before holding DPC or issuing any seniority list.