By Nazir Siyal

KARACHI: Newly appointed Sindh Governor Nihal Hashmi on Sunday stressed the need for a comprehensive audit of the Governor House’s past expenditures and budget allocations, stating that transparency and accountability would be ensured. Speaking at a press conference at the Governor House on the second day after taking oath, he said everyone would jointly review the audit and investigate any loopholes. “You can pick up the budget book and see how much money has been allocated to me and how much I spend,” he remarked, welcoming criticism based on performance.

The governor also emphasized that Pakistan comes first and praised the country’s armed forces as one of its strongest institutions. Referring to damaged lawns and broken furniture at a youth computer skills facility at the Governor House, he noted that even the next two years’ budget had not been left by the previous administration.

Hashmi announced that the federal government would expand employment opportunities and improve education for young people across Sindh. He said the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme would soon be introduced in the province in cooperation with its Sindh coordinator Fahad Shafiq to enhance training, education and job facilities for youth.

The governor assured that youth development and computer training would be strengthened while education-related initiatives would also be expanded. He said as governor his responsibility extended to “every individual and every child” in the province, especially in rural districts.

Encouraging public accountability, Hashmi asked people to criticize him if he failed to perform but also highlight positive work done at the Governor House. He said he would ensure that every project undertaken during his tenure was audited and hoped to leave the office in a better condition than he found it.