Chief Secretary Sindh Chairs High-Level Secretaries Committee Meeting
Irfan Ali
Karachi
Chief Secretary Sindh Asif Hyder Shah chaired a high-level meeting of the Secretaries Committee, which was attended by all departmental heads and senior officers of the Government of Sindh via video link. The meeting reviewed a wide range of governance and administrative matters with particular focus on administrative discipline, inspection regimes, fire safety preparedness, audit mechanisms, promotions, disciplinary cases, recruitment processes, and digital governance reforms. The Chief Secretary underscored the importance of attendance and punctuality across all government departments, stating that discipline at the workplace reflects the seriousness, efficiency, and credibility of public institutions. He directed all departments to strictly ensure compliance in this regard.
While addressing the meeting, the Chief Secretary referred to the tragic *Gul Plaza fire incident* , observing that the incident exposed gaps in coordination and oversight by major departments towards their attached departments. He emphasized that every department has been established with a defined mandate and responsibility, and departmental heads must ensure that attached bodies are not neglected. He stressed that leadership accountability is essential, particularly in institutions directly linked to human life, safety, and public welfare. The Chief Secretary directed all departmental heads to take full ownership of their respective departments and attached institutions, ensuring effective supervision, monitoring, and compliance with safety and operational standards.
In connection with *inspection regimes* , the Chief Secretary issued clear instructions to all departments responsible for inspections, stating that inspections must be conducted on a regular and professional basis rather than being limited to the issuance of challans or routine revenue collection. He stressed that inspections should be meaningful, transparent, and outcome-oriented. He further directed all relevant departments to submit a two-page report detailing their inspection criteria, timelines, scope, and implementation mechanisms to ensure standardization and accountability across departments.
Regarding *fire safety measures* , the Chief Secretary instructed that comprehensive fire safety audits must be conducted in all government buildings, prisons, bus terminals, and other public places where large numbers of citizens gather. He informed the meeting that the Government of Sindh has constituted 140 teams of Assistant Commissioners, who will conduct field visits across the province to ensure the effective implementation of fire safety measures and compliance with safety protocols.
On the matter of audit and financial accountability, the Chief Secretary directed all secretaries to convene regular meetings of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and Departmental Accounts Committee (DAC) to ensure timely disposal of audit objections and pending paras. He emphasized that audit issues must be addressed proactively to strengthen transparency and financial discipline. The Chief Secretary also instructed departments to expedite pending promotion and disciplinary cases, stressing that unnecessary delays in such matters negatively affect morale and administrative efficiency.
During the meeting, the provincial job portal was also discussed. The Chief Secretary directed all departments to accelerate the recruitment process through the job portal, adding that technical posts will be advertised separately to ensure transparency, merit, and efficiency in hiring. Highlighting progress in digital governance, the Chief Secretary noted that the introduction and increased use of digital summaries have significantly reduced delays in decision-making. He stated that digital processing has saved valuable time and contributed to improved governance, efficiency, and responsiveness within the provincial administration. The meeting concluded with a renewed commitment from all departments to strengthen coordination, accountability, safety standards, and service delivery for the welfare and protection of the public.
