'Corruption report has laid bare PTI's performance'

Murad says govt doesn't need yes-man as IGP, but an official who can keep the peace

HYDERABAD: The Transparency International report has laid bare the performance of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government, declared Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah.
Speaking to the media in Khairpur on Friday, Shah maintained that PTI supporters would be cursing themselves behind closed doors for supporting the inept leadership in power.
Pinning the blame for the country's wheat crisis on the federal government, the chief minister claimed that the export and smuggling of wheat to Afghanistan had caused the crop shortage and consequent hike in flour prices. "Exporting wheat will not just cause financial losses for local wheat farmers, it will also make flour costlier in the markets," he warned.
Meanwhile, referring to the ongoing matter of the transfer of the Sindh Inspector General of Police, Shah held the provincial police chief, Dr Kaleem Imam, responsible for law and order issues in Sindh, including kidnappings, which he said had once again become rampant in Sukkur and Larkana divisions.
"But we will not let some inefficient police officers undermine the sacrifices of the numerous policemen who laid down their lives to establish peace in the province," he asserted.
The CM said the Sindh cabinet had unanimously stated that a public servant was obligated to implement the policies of an elected government, pointing out that the police are public servants while the elected government represented the people.
"We do not need a yes-man in the province [as police chief], but an official who can maintain peace in Sindh," he maintained.
Referring to Shikarpur SSP Rizwan Ahmed Khan, who submitted reports accusing Sindh government ministers of criminal activity, he expressed dismay than an inquiry that he had ordered against a police officer four months ago had not yet been submitted to his office.
Shah further argued that "inept" police officers often blamed politicians for the deterioration in law and order in order to cover up their own failures.