Sindh to revive commissionerate system
News Desk
Saturday, July 09, 2011
ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday allowed the provincial government to urgently revive the commissionerate system in Sindh and make suitable amendments in the law relating to the local government system to make the local administration more responsive to the emerging challenges of law and order in the city and province.
The decision was taken during a high-level meeting held at the Presidency on Friday, jointly chaired by President Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, to review the alarming law and order situation in Karachi.
The revival of the commissionerate system in Karachi was a bone of contention between the PPP and now that the MQM has left the coalition, the government has decided to revive the system. But, at the same time, the government has left the door of reconciliation with the MQM ajar by deciding to appoint Manzoor Wasan as Home Minister Sindh in place of Dr Zulfiqar Mirza.
Dr Mirza will now look after the department of services and works. The Sindh government will issue a notification in this regard today (Saturday). Both Manzoor Wasan and Dr Zulfiqar Mirza were present in the meeting at the Presidency.
Farhatullah Babar, the presidential spokesperson, told the media after the meeting that chief minister Sindh and the interior minister briefed the meeting about the situation in Karachi and that decisions were taken in the light of the briefing given by the provincial chief minister. He said it was also decided that law and order in Karachi would be maintained at all costs.
Babar said the meeting decided that judges would be appointed to the vacant posts of anti-terror courts and the prosecution branch would be beefed up to provide an effective legal framework for dealing with criminals and lawless elements.
The president, while taking notice of the recent wave of killings in Karachi, directed the interior minister to proceed to Karachi and coordinate with provincial authorities in dealing with the law and order situation. The interior minister also briefed the meeting about his talks with law enforcing agencies.
Farhatullah Babar said the meeting expressed concerns over the recent spate of killings in Karachi and the president directed provincial authorities to take necessary steps for restoring peace in the city and bringing terrorists to book regardless of their political affiliations, if any.
The president said that the government would not allow anyone to take the law into their own hands and would use all possible means to ensure the safety and security of the people. The president also called upon the political leadership of Karachi to complement the government’s efforts in restoring peace in the city and bringing miscreants to justice. The meeting also sympathised and condoled with the families of victims.
Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah, provincial ministers Pir Mazhar-ul-Haq, Syed Murad Ali Shah, Manzoor Hussain Wasan, Nawab Mir Nadir Ali Khan Magsi, Agha Siraj Durrani, Zulfiqar Ali Mirza, Faryal Talpur, Interior Minister Rehman Malik, Minister for Water and Power Syed Naveed Qamar, Minister for Religious Affairs Syed Khursheed Shah and Dr Babar Awan were amongst those who attended the meeting.
Source:
The News,
DAWN