Crying foul: All is not well in the Sindh govt setup
CM holds several portfolios; junior bureaucrats enjoying multiple senior positions
The CM himself is not willing to devolve powers. Home, energy, katchi abadis, finance and zakat and ushr departments are all headed by the CM. PHOTO: NNI
KARACHI:
Despite the large-sized Sindh cabinet — with over three dozen ministers, advisers and special assistants — many departments are being run by Chief Minister (CM) Murad Ali Shah while several junior officers have been placed on important positions with multiple charges as senior bureaucrats have been sidelined.
Officials in Sindh government told The Express Tribune that there is no permanent home secretary and routine matters of this department are being run on ad-hoc basis. Riaz Soomro, special home secretary, looks after the department as Jamal Mustafa Syed has gone on long leave.
Other headless departments include forest, wildlife and mines and minerals, among others.
Meanwhile, Haleem Shaikh, the minority affairs secretary, has been given the charge of secretary services.
Similarly, Rizwan Memon, senior member of the Sindh board of revenue, has been looking after the forest and wildlife department while Alamuddin Bullo, recently been appointed as the chairman of the CM's inspection team, also works as chairman of the Sindh revenue board.
Commissioner Karachi has two extra responsibilities as he has been given the charge of special initiatives secretary and director-general of the Thar Coal Energy Board.
Katchi abadis secretary Mohammad Nawaz Shaikh has been given the charge of livestock and fisheries department while works and services secretary Aftab Memon has the additional charge of information secretary.
"There is no dearth of competent and senior officers, but the government has either sidelined them or they have been asked to wait for posting," a senior bureaucrat in the Sindh government complained.
"Two additional chief secretaries, Mumtaz Ali Shah and Iqbal Durrani, have been sidelined as they have previously not succumbed to the pressure of higher authorities," said the official.
Close to home
The situation is not confined to bureaucrats alone. The CM himself is not willing to devolve powers. Home, energy, katchi abadis, finance and zakat and ushr departments are all headed by the CM.
The CM's spokesperson, while defending the government, said the CM's team will bring drastic change but he [Shah] must be given time to do so. "It has hardly been a month since he has taken over charge as the provincial chief executive. You must give him six months," he said.
The same response came from information adviser Moula Bux Chandio, who said "Recently the CM has reshuffled bureaucrats and the right persons will be appointed for the right jobs within a few days," he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 8th, 2016.
Despite the large-sized Sindh cabinet — with over three dozen ministers, advisers and special assistants — many departments are being run by Chief Minister (CM) Murad Ali Shah while several junior officers have been placed on important positions with multiple charges as senior bureaucrats have been sidelined.
Officials in Sindh government told The Express Tribune that there is no permanent home secretary and routine matters of this department are being run on ad-hoc basis. Riaz Soomro, special home secretary, looks after the department as Jamal Mustafa Syed has gone on long leave.
Other headless departments include forest, wildlife and mines and minerals, among others.
Meanwhile, Haleem Shaikh, the minority affairs secretary, has been given the charge of secretary services.
Similarly, Rizwan Memon, senior member of the Sindh board of revenue, has been looking after the forest and wildlife department while Alamuddin Bullo, recently been appointed as the chairman of the CM's inspection team, also works as chairman of the Sindh revenue board.
Commissioner Karachi has two extra responsibilities as he has been given the charge of special initiatives secretary and director-general of the Thar Coal Energy Board.
Katchi abadis secretary Mohammad Nawaz Shaikh has been given the charge of livestock and fisheries department while works and services secretary Aftab Memon has the additional charge of information secretary.
"There is no dearth of competent and senior officers, but the government has either sidelined them or they have been asked to wait for posting," a senior bureaucrat in the Sindh government complained.
"Two additional chief secretaries, Mumtaz Ali Shah and Iqbal Durrani, have been sidelined as they have previously not succumbed to the pressure of higher authorities," said the official.
Close to home
The situation is not confined to bureaucrats alone. The CM himself is not willing to devolve powers. Home, energy, katchi abadis, finance and zakat and ushr departments are all headed by the CM.
The CM's spokesperson, while defending the government, said the CM's team will bring drastic change but he [Shah] must be given time to do so. "It has hardly been a month since he has taken over charge as the provincial chief executive. You must give him six months," he said.
The same response came from information adviser Moula Bux Chandio, who said "Recently the CM has reshuffled bureaucrats and the right persons will be appointed for the right jobs within a few days," he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 8th, 2016.