KARACHI: Sharjeel Inam Memon — a member of the Sindh Assembly who belongs to the Pakistan People’s Party — has officially been notified as a provincial minister but has yet to take the oath of his office.
According to a notification issued by the Sindh government, his portfolio is yet to be announced. Sources said he will likely be sworn in as minister on Friday (today) and is going to be given the portfolio of information ministry.
The appointment has been made by Sindh governor on the advice of chief minister.
“In exercise of the powers conferred under Clause (1) of Article 132 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan 1973, the Governor Sindh has been pleased to appoint [Sharjeel Inam Memon]… as Provincial Minister on the advice of the Chief Minister, Sindh, with immediate effect,” reads the notification.
Mr Memon is facing three cases involving allegations of graft, possessing assets beyond known means and liquor possession. He is currently on bail in all the cases.
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had filed a reference alleging that he had assets worth Rs 2.43 billion, which was beyond his known sources of income. He had also purchased properties in the name of several relatives.
He was also accused of transferring Rs 1.8 million out of the country illegally, through Hundi and Hawala.
In another case, Mr Memon was accused of causing a loss of Rs 5.75 billion to the national exchequer by awarding advertisements at exorbitant rates to companies of his liking between 2013 and 2015.
He was booked also in a liquor possession case after three bottles of liquor were found in his room at the Ziauddin Hospital, Karachi, after former chief justice Saqib Nisar paid a surprise visit to him on Sept 1, 2018. Mr Memon was immediately shifted to the Central Jail after the incident.
Meanwhile, Awais Qadir Shah, who was serving as the provincial minister for transport, has been removed from his position.
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