Karachi Division

The Sindh government has ordered a high level inquiry into alleged financial irregularities and procedural violations in the Karachi Development Authority, where development contracts exceeding eleven billion rupees were reportedly awarded without the mandatory public tendering process. The investigation, initiated on the directives of the Sindh Chief Minister, is being jointly led by the Minister for Local Government, Nasir Hussain Shah, and the Minister for Planning and Development, Jam Khan Shoro. The decision follows accusations that the KDA sidestepped established procurement rules while awarding multiple major works. One of the projects under review is the Karimabad Underpass, where the cost is said to have risen from an initial estimate of seven hundred million rupees to three billion and eighty one crore rupees. The escalation has raised concerns regarding transparency and fiscal oversight. The inquiry committee has been tasked with examining all consultancy and development contracts above the notified threshold and identifying instances where procurement procedures were not followed. In a related effort to improve transparency and curb future malpractice, the KDA is introducing a modern computerised management system for its land and recovery departments. The system is expected to be linked with the NADRA biometric verification mechanism to reduce fraud and safeguard property ownership records. The inquiry comes at a time when the KDA has been allocated two billion and eighty nine crore rupees for new development schemes, despite longstanding concerns over project delays and the authority’s administrative capacity. Provincial officials have stated that the investigation aims to ensure accountability and strengthen governance mechanisms within the organisation.