KARACHI, Jan 1: Sindh Governor Muhammedmian Soomro on Tuesday directed the authorities concerned to take strict action against corrupt and inefficient persons in the government departments.

“From now on, the rating of all the government employees including heads of departments will be done on the basis of their actual performance and services for the country and the people,” the governor said while speaking at the provincial cabinet meeting held in the Sindh Secretariat.

Sindh Chief Secretary Javed Ashraf Hussain, briefing the cabinet, said that major penalties had been imposed on eight and minor penalties on 2,500 other employees of the Sindh government so far, besides taking disciplinary action in the police department.

The governor said the government functionaries could only retain their jobs with improved performance, as otherwise they would have to face action.

He stressed on efficient cost effectiveness in government affairs and approachability to the people. Slackness and plunder of the resources should become a chapter of the past as the government would not tolerate any hindrance in its efforts aimed at welfare of the citizen, he said.

The cabinet also took stock of the prevailing situation in the country. Governor Soomro directed for making effective civil defence arrangements and asked all the departments to keep liaison with the home department in this respect.

He said the government and the people would have to keep an eye on the enemies of the country and urged the Nazims and other elected representatives to maintain strict vigil in their respective areas for the security of important installations.

The cabinet discussed watercourses lining programme for the conservation of irrigation water and stressed on an effective role of local governments in this respect.

It was stated at the meeting that the divisional level in various departments had been abolished with the devolution of power at the grass-roots level.

The cabinet also discussed reorganization of the provincial government under the new system and constituted a committee to submit its recommendations within a week.

The governor also issued directives for taking action against the persons involved cutting trees in the forests.

Solidarity expressed: Various religious scholars, belonging to different schools of thought, expressing solidarity with the government and the armed forces, said on Tuesday the people of Pakistan, irrespective of their differences of opinion, will fight shoulder-to-shoulder to defend the motherland.

“All the people in the country are prepared to sacrifice their lives and properties for safeguarding Pakistan and will demonstrate historic unity in their ranks as Pakistan is the symbol of their identity,” they said at a meeting with Sindh Governor Mohammedmian Soomro at the Governor’s House on Tuesday.

The ulema paid tributes to the armed forces of Pakistan and said they are not only equipped with material resources but also imbibed with religious spirit.

The religious scholars, who included Shah Faridul Haque, Maulana Hassan Turabi, Maulana Asad Thanvi, Mufti Muneebur Rahman, Shah Turabul Haque, Haji Hanif Tayyab, Maulana Abdul Rahman Salfi, Maulana Zar Wali and others, were of the view that a slim chance of war existed as India was just extending cowardly threats.

However, they said, if war was imposed on Pakistan, the nation would stand like a steel wall.

The governor, lauding the sentiments expressed by the religious scholars, observed that national solidarity was a real power with which the evil designs of internal as well as external enemies could be foiled.

Soomro urged the ulema to strive for forging national unity and cohesion among the people in their areas of influence.—PPI/APP