I want to work within my limits: Sindh IG

AD Khawaja downplays differences with Sindh govt, says he is waiting for court verdict

HYDERABAD: After having been stripped of the power to transfer and post police officials, Sindh Inspector-General Allah Dino Khawaja has pinned all his hopes on the Sindh High Court. "I will not comment [on this development]. I hope when the court will give its verdict, all the matters will become clear," said IG Khawaja while speaking at an Eid gathering on Saturday night with the families of martyred policemen in Hyderabad.

Through an order dated June 30, Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah seized the authority of the transfer and postings of BPS-19 and BPS-18. The August 9, 2016, order which had empowered the inspector-general of the Sindh police with this authority was revoked.

"I don't feel the urge to comment on the matters of governance. But the media and the intellectuals can talk about it," he said. "There are limits set for public servants. I want to work within these limits."



Trying to downplay his differences with Pakistan Peoples Party's (PPP) provincial government, which tried to remove Khawaja from the post of the provincial IG, he praised the government for being generous in resource allocation. He particularly expressed gratitude to the CM for the allocations during the last fiscal year.

Weapons procurement

The IG said that some 30,000 sub-machine guns will be delivered by September to the police. The force already possesses 26,377 SMGs. He added that a four-fold addition to around 3,000 pistols available with the provincial police force has also been made by procuring 12,000 pistols.

In the outgoing financial year, the Sindh police purchased 350 vehicles while in the 2017-18 fiscal year, 450 more vehicles will be bought, he said. IG Khawaja said without obtaining additional funds from the provincial government, the Sindh police managed to buy a computer for each police station in the province using its own funds.

All the police lines, divisional police headquarters, police training schools and colleges have been given 200 kilowatt generators. According to him, of the 21,000 new recruits, up to 15,000 have been trained by the Pakistan Army.

Chinese security

"For the security of Chinese brothers and China-Pakistan Economic Corridor [CPEC] projects, no negligence has been done so far and will not be done in the future," he assured. "Providing security to all foreigners is our responsibility but the security of Chinese nationals working for the CPEC is our priority," he underscored.



The IG said that the Sindh government's Special Protection Unit has so far hired 1,500 retired army personnel in this regard.

Policemen killings

Responding to a query about killing of four policemen in Karachi days before Eid, the IG said the inquiry is still at a preliminary stage. He said though the pamphlet of militant outfit Ansarul Sharia was found at the incident site, it was too early for the police to believe that the organisation was actually involved.