Punctual CM sends govt workers into panic

KARACHI: The surprise arrival of the new Sindh chief minister, Murad Ali Shah, at the new secretariat building on Monday caused a panic among the employees and officials there especially those who had not reached their offices on time. 

The officers and other employees of Sindh government’s secretariat who had not reached their offices in time rushed to the secretariat building in sheer panic to avoid the wrath of the newly elected chief minister.

The bureaucracy of Sindh government was earlier issued instructions in written to observe punctuality in their timings but the directives were largely ignored. In his maiden speech in the Sindh Assembly soon after being elected as new chief executive of the province on Friday, Shah had also forewarned the provincial bureaucracy to strictly observe office working hours from coming Monday (the first working day after Murad Ali Shah took oath as new CM) otherwise they would have to face action.

The staffers and officials working at Sindh secretariat were not expecting the chief minister to arrive early at the secretariat building when he had reached back in Karachi from Dubai at around 4:30 am on Monday after meeting with Pakistan People’s Party Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari. 

After staying in his office at the secretariat, the chief minister told reporters that he had not conducted any surprise visit or raided the secretariat building and merely arrived at office at the secretariat.

He said that as such there need to rectify the working of provincial bureaucracy, as bureaucracy was working well and it would also deliver during his governance. 

Earlier, Shah went to his office at 9am. Additional Chief Secretary (Dev) Mohammad Waseem and Secretary (GA) Sajid Jamaal Abro received him.

The chief secretary, Siddique  and secretary services Usman Chachar who were in the supreme court in connection with a case joined him latter.

At the new secretariat, MPA and senior PPP leader Manzoor Wassan called on Sindh chief minister and discussed issues of mutual interest. Senator Rehman Malik called on Chief Minister at CM Secretariat. 

Security protocol slashed

The chief minister directed his principal secretary Alamuddin Bullo to slash his motorcade protocol by fifty percent. "I don’t believe in unnecessary protocol and pomp and show - this huge cavalcade of protocol causes problems in the smooth flow of traffic," he said.

The principal secretary told the chief minister that nine vehicles/police mobiles usually move with the chief minister in his security and protocol. On this the chief minister directed him to reduce them by four. The order was implemented forthwith. The chief minister also visited legendary cricketer Hanif Mohammad at the Aga Khan Hospital and inquired about his health. He announced financial assistance of Rs1 million for the ailing cricketer.

Shah has also created a 'Cabinet' group on WhatsApp.  In the group all the ministers, advisers and special assistant have been added. The chief minister himself is administrator of the group. The chief minister has directed all the cabinet members to keep him informed about their activities and issues on WhatsApp. The ministers have also started sending him the photos of their visits, meetings and such other activities on WhatsApp. It is learnt that new chief minister would keep with him the additional portfolio of provincial home department without inducting in his cabinet any new minister for taking charge of home affairs.