Policy of cooperation: Sindh grants one-year extension to Rangers

Massive reshuffle ordered at key positions in provincial departments

KARACHI:

The ruling party in Sindh gratuitously accepted on Friday a heaven-sent opportunity to mend fences with the security establishment as it extended the Sindh Rangers’ stay in the province for one more year.

Simultaneously, the provincial government also made a massive reshuffle at the key positions in the provincial departments.

The extension was invoked under Article 147 of the Constitution. The tenure of the paramilitary Rangers, which is engaged in a targeted operation in the provincial capital, was about to expire on July 19.

Pakistan Rangers had also initiated a crackdown on Sindh government officials – a move against which the PPP-led government had voiced protests on a number of occasions.

However, the PPP co-chairperson and former president Asif Ali Zardari in his meeting with Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah in Dubai on Thursday directed him to extend the Rangers powers through Sindh Assembly, said officials privy to the development.



During the meeting, Zardari also showed his party’s complete support to ongoing military operation, Zarb-e-Azb and appreciated army’s role in eradication of terrorism.

On Friday, the Sindh cabinet met under the chair of Shah at the CM House and decided to extend the stay of the Rangers. This will also be tabled before the Sindh Assembly for ratification after Eidul Fitr.

Earlier, Sindh Home Secretary Mukhtiar Ahmed Soomro moved a summary to the CM stating that the stay requisition of Pakistan Rangers by the government of Sindh would expire on July 19.

The home department recommended that as the Rangers was assisting the police and civil administration, therefore their requisition in the province might be extended for another year.

The CM, keeping in view the requirement of the services of Sindh Rangers, requisitioned its services for a period of one year from July 20, 2015. The CM hoped that Sindh Rangers would be working in the province with the same spirit, said an official statement.

Reshuffle in Sindh

Meanwhile, the Sindh government also reshuffled about a dozen senior officials at key positions – including Karachi police chief Additional Inspector General (AIG) Ghulam Qadir Thebo.

According to an official notification, AIG Thebo has been replaced by Mushtaq Maher while the former will now serve as the chairman of the anti-corruption department.  Besides police and the anti-corruption departments, there is also a massive reshuffling in the other departments of the Sindh province.

The additional charge of works and services secretary, enjoyed by Board of Revenue’s Senior Member Mumtaz Ali Shah has been taken back from him and given to Ahmed Bux Narejo.

Sindh Building Control Authority’s Director General (DG) Manzoor Qadir Kaka, Karachi Municipal Corporation’s (KMC) Administrator Saqib Soomro and Cooperation Department’s Secretary Shazer Shamoon have been removed and directed to report to Services and General Administration Department (S&GAD).

The deputy commissioners – Umer Farooq Bullo of Sanghar, Zubair Channa of Dadu, Ahmed Shah of Sujawal, Khuda Dino Shoro of Mithi, Majid Mohsin Panhwar of Jamshoro, Zaman Narejo of Mirpurkhas, Abid Shamim of Shikarpur and Sajjad Hyder of Tando Allahyar – have also been removed.

Meanwhile, Administrator Hyderabad Hafiz Umrani and Special Branch’s DIG Zulfikar Larik have also been removed. Nazar Bozdar has been appointed as Director Anti-Corruption in place of Asif Aijaz Shaikh, who has been transferred and directed to report the S&GAD.

Inamullah Dharejo has been posted as Cooperation Department’s secretary.


Published in The Express Tribune, July 18^th, 2015.