The Sindh government has decided to carry out an audit of the funds provided to the local bodies’ representatives in the province, soon after their four-year-term expired on August 29, the sources privy to the development said on Tuesday. According to sources, the anti-corruption department of the provincial government is directed to begin an accountability drive against the local bodies’ representatives. “Currently records of union councils, towns and municipal committees area gathered to carry out their audit,” they said, adding that in the second phase, the financial expenditure of the district councils would be scrutinized for any wrongdoing. In the third phase, the sources said that the records of municipal corporations in Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur and Larkana would be taken into possession for a thorough audit. Strict action would be taken against any local bodies’ representative found guilty of financial irregularities. It is pertinent to mention here that the Sindh Local Government Department notified on Monday an end to the four-year term of local government bodies in the province. “Consequent upon expiry of four (04) years term of Local Councils on 30th August 2020, pursuant to section 20 (1) of Sindh Local Government Act 2013, all offices of elected Mayors, Deputy Mayors, Chairmen, vice Chairmen, members, representative and such office bearers of Metropolitan Corporation, Municipal Corporations, District Councils, Municipal Committees, Town Committees, Union Committees, and Union Councils, in Sindh shall cease to exist w.e.f 31st August 2020,” read the notification. It directed all outgoing local government representatives to settle “individual liability, return asset(s), including Government vehicle(s), and state belonging, if any, to officer-in-charge of respective Council, at once, as failure would constitute offence.”
