KARACHI: No police officers have been barred from attending Thursday’s meeting called by the newly reappointed Sindh home minister Sohail Anwar Sial.
This was said by the Sindh Inspector General AD Khawaja in a statement, which detailed that some elements were bent upon spreading false information.
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.
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.
The home minister is expected to chair a meeting at 11 am on Thursday regarding security arrangements in the province for the month of Ramzan. Senior police officers from across the province are likelt to be present at 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.
