Defence ministry reprimands Sindh govt

Met department’s land must be secured from encroachers.

KARACHI: The defence ministry has taken notice of the alleged encroachment on the metrological department’s land in Karachi and has demanded the federal government carry out an inquiry.

In a letter sent to the Karachi DCO, Sindh Inspector-General and other high officials of the Sindh government, the federal interior ministry stated that the land in Gulistan-e-Jauhar which belongs to the Pakistan Metrological Department office has been encroached on with the help of the Sindh police.

The alleged encroacher, Bhumbro, is said to be acting under Sindh Home Minister Dr Zulfiqar Mirza’s orders. Neither the Sindh home secretary nor the IGP is responding to telephone calls from the defence ministry.

The federal deputy secretary requested the Sindh government to take necessary action to secure the installations of the Met department (which falls under the federal ministry) from encroachers because it could affect public security.

He also warned of strong reaction if the orders are not followed.

Unidentified men attempted to take over the Met department’s land and also broke a wall of the office. They escaped when the police came.

Gulistan-e-Jauhar SHO Asif Jhakrani told The Express Tribune that the case was just ‘a misunderstanding’. “The matter has been solved.”

Talking about the accused Bhumro, the officer said that he is not a policeman but the president of the Sindh National Alliance.

Jhakrani said he did not know if the man had any relations with the home minister.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 12^th, 2011.