'Law and order of Sindh was better before incumbent IGP took charge'

KARACHI: The law and order situation of Sindh was better before the incumbent IGP had taken charge, said the newly reappointed home minister, Sohail Anwar Sial on Thursday. 

"However, the security situation of Sindh was better than that in other provinces of the country," he added while talking to the media after a meeting of top police officers, where Sindh Inspector General (IG) AD Khawaja was absent from, fuelling reports of differences between the two. 

When asked why the IGP was not called in the first such meeting, Sial said he had divided the meeting into two zones and the IGP was to come in the meeting that is scheduled to take place in the evening. 

Earlier, reports were being circulated in the media that the Sindh IG had barred police officers from attending the home minister’s meeting without his explicit permission. But in a statement, the IG had clarified that no police officers were stopped from attending the meeting.

He added that some elements want to achieve their nefarious objectives by spreading misinformation.

The statement was released by the spokesperson of the Sindh Police, who explained that officers leaving their designated headquarters for the meeting must inform the relevant departments, which is part of the official procedure.

There were also reports that the IG has not been invited to the meeting. 

On Tuesday, the Sindh government reshuffled portfolios in the provincial cabinet, giving back the home ministry to Sial — a close aide of the top Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leadership. The PPP leader from Larkana was earlier appointed the home minister in May 2015 but lost his ministry in July 2016 following ‘objections’ of security agencies. The differences erupted after the Rangers attempted to arrest a close aide of the minister, Asad Kharal, from Larkana but locals obstructed the paramilitary force and helped Kharal escape. The incident led to a public spat between the provincial government and the Rangers, which forced then chief minister Qaim Ali Shah to relieve Sial of his post as the home minister.

In March this year, the provincial government surrendered the services of the IG back to the federal government but the move was stayed after rights activists petitioned the Sindh High Court.

Last week, the Sindh IG had informed the court that under the present circumstances it had become difficult for him to continue with his job and requested the bench to allow him to relinquish his post but the court did not agree and continued the stay against his removal. 

The case is ongoing in the high court.