Safoora aftermath: Wholesale changes likely in Sindh

Zardari meets Nawaz; secretaries identified for replacement with competent officers

ISLAMABAD:

In the wake of the Safoora massacre in Karachi, a number of changes are likely in Sindh’s governmental hierarchy. The federal and Sindh governments have partially agreed on administrative changes proposed by the top civil and military leadership in a series of meetings, sources privy to the development told The Express Tribune.

The potential changes were discussed as Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari called on Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif at the PM House in Islamabad on Thursday. The overall political situation and development projects in Sindh with reference to the next budget was also discussed.

Apart from finance-related issues between the Centre and the provincial government, administrative changes, Safoora attack’s preliminary investigation report and future course of the ongoing Karachi operation also came under discussion. In view of the top civil and military leadership’s proposal for administrative changes in Sindh government, a number of secretaries have been identified for replacement with competent officers, they said.

With the Sindh chief secretary changed recently, half a dozen more departmental heads, including the home secretary, Board of Revenue senior member and the water board managing director, might be replaced.

It was decided in the meeting that the current IGP would not be replaced but an excessive reshuffle would see all SP, SSP, DIGs changed.

Policing affairs would now be dealt by the Rangers authority and the Sindh Apex Committee and not the chief minister alone.

To establish law and order in Karachi, all changes wanted by Rangers would be followed.

The sources said the prime minister also shared with Zardari the preliminary investigation report of the agencies regarding the Safoora tragedy claiming that Baloch insurgents were involved in carrying out
the attack with the support of Indian intelligence agency RAW.

In the coming days, the federal government will likely organise a press conference to present evidence against RAW in the attack and will demand not only from the world but also from India to take necessary action against the culprits, they said.

About the financial issues between the federal and Sindh governments, the sources said that Dar and Murad Ali Shah sorted out the issues and solved them amicably.  The Sindh government also demanded extra funds in the next budget for war on terror.


Published in The Express Tribune, May 15^th, 2015.