Moalims

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) has summoned the provincial education department’s additional secretary on October 28 to explain the alleged discrimination in awarding scholarships from the provincial endowment fund meant for the education of employees’ children .

A division bench, headed by Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, was hearing a petition filed by an employee of the health department.

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The petitioner, Hakeem Anwar Ahmed, said he had applied to the provincial endowment fund for scholarships to his two daughters. He recalled that the senior provincial minister, who is the chairperson of the endowment fund committee, had on February 29 2014 approved his application for the scholarships.

The petitioner said that his daughters, Rizwana and Sonia, are studying MBBS at Sir Syed College for Girls and Jinnah University in Karachi. But the officials concerned have not so far released the scholarship amount on the grounds that his salary is Rs500,000.

“In fact the salary of the petitioner is, after deduction of the taxes, Rs480,000,” explained the petitioner’s lawyer. He alleged that his client is being discriminated by the officials concerned, who are neglecting his daughters’ entitlement for scholarships.

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The petitioner claimed that the scholarships are being awarded to the daughters of other employees. An inspector, Ghulam Mugheri who is receiving a Rs500,000 salary, was granted such concession on a fake certificate issued by the Mukhtiarkar of Warah, he added.

Ahmed said he had on July 23, 2014, and September 8, 2014, written applications requesting the provincial chief secretary to take necessary action against the officials but nothing was done. Later, he said, the provincial ombudsman was approached but the education department officials are not attending hearings there as well.

The court was pleaded to order the chairperson of the endowment fund to release the scholarship amount for the petitioner’s daughters at the earliest. A request was also made for action against the officials who were discriminating against the petitioner.

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During Monday’s proceedings, a section officer of the education and literacy department, who was present in the court, said that the additional secretary, Abdul Waheed Sheikh, is out of town. He assured that the secretary will appear in court at the next hearing to answer the court’s queries.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 27th, 2015.