ZUBAIR YAQOOB
KARACHI Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah on Monday agreed on appointing Mushtaq Mehar as the new Sindh Inspector General of Police (IGP), replacing Kaleem Iman as the provincial police chief. The move comes after a meeting between Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and Prime Minister Imran Khan in Karachi where the chief minister formally requested the premier to replace the incumbent provincial police chief, Kaleem Imam. The matter had been a bone of contention between the federal government and the Pakistan People’s Party’s (PPP) Sindh government for weeks, with the provincial government earlier recommending Imam’s removal claiming he had failed to perform satisfactorily. The federal government had earlier snubbed the Sindh government, saying Imam would continue to serve as IGP until further notice. Sources said that PM Imran and CM Murad reached a consensus over Mehar as Imam’s replacement, Sindh Governor Imran Ismail also backed the decision. The sources added that a notification in this regard is likely to be issued today (Tuesday) following a meeting of the federal cabinet. A statement issued by the Sindh chief minister’s spokesperson after the meeting stated that Shah in his meeting with Prime Minister Imran discussed various issues including development schemes, wheat shortage, locust swarm attacks, increasing polio cases and the threat of coronavirus to Pakistanis. “The prime minister assured the chief minister that all these issues would [be] resolved on top priority basis,” the statement said. According to the statement, the chief minister while discussing development schemes told the premier that some important projects of the province were pending in the Planning and Development Ministry. He also complained that the ongoing federal government projects in Karachi were moving at a slow pace. At this, the prime minister said that he will direct Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar to expedite the process of Sindh government’s schemes. He also assured Shah that the federal government’s schemes in Karachi will be completed “at the earliest”. The premier also met a delegation of prominent business personalities in the city. Also in attendance at the meeting were Planning Minister Asad Umar, Minister for Water Resources Faisal Vawda, Minister for Maritime Affairs Ali Zaidi and State Bank Governor Reza Baqir. PM also attended Kamyab Jawan Programme chques distribution ceremony . Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday also met with Pir Pagara, chief of Pakistan Muslim LeagueFunctional (PML-F) at Kingri House in Karachi. Matters of mutual interest, the current political condition in Sindh and other issues were discussed the meeting. Speaking on the occasion, PM Imran said that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led government sought to take all the allied parties on board to address the public issues. Pir Pagara, Syed Sibghatullah Shah Rashdi acknowledged the prime minister for visiting his residence and expressed resolve to continue supporting the incumbent government
