KARACHI: The federal government has appointed Asif Hyder Shah, a Pakistan Administrative Service officer in BS-22, as the new chief secretary of Sindh, relieving outgoing CS Dr Fakhre Alam.

Mr Shah is brother-in-law of Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah. He was posted as federal secretary, ministry of climate change and environmental coordination.

Outgoing CS Fakhre Alam was posted in the province in August 2023 during the caretaker government.

After taking oath of his office, CM Murad Ali shah had in his first press conference hinted at a reshuffle in the provincial bureaucracy and police.

Sources said that Asif Hyder’s name was proposed by the provincial government to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for the slot.

The new chief secretary had joined civil services in 1993 and served on various important assignments. He had worked as the commissioner of Hyderabad and Karachi divisions, special secretary, cabinet division, federal culture secretary and federal power secretary.

A civil engineer by profession, Mr Shah also holds an MBA degree from the Institute of Business Administration, Karachi, and a master’s degree from Harvard University.

He had a fellowship each from Harvard and Stanford universities.

According to a press release, he possesses exceptional administrative skills and maintains a proactive approach towards public service delivery.

His past performance as Hyderabad and Karachi commissioner was widely acclaimed by the various segments of society, it added.

Published in Dawn, March 13th, 2024