KARACHI: Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Tuesday directed the Sindh chief secretary to seek an explanation from certain secretaries and other senior officials who were absent from duty during his visit to the Sindh Secretariat.

He paid a surprise visit to the Sindh Secretariat and Tughluq House to inspect various departments, ongoing renovation works, and staff attendance.

The chief minister first visited the New Secretariat, where Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah was present. The CM inspected the under-construction command and control centre on the ground floor and issued necessary directives to equip the facility with modern systems and technologies.

He then visited Tughluq House and reviewed the offices of the school education, home, excise & taxation, mines & minerals, Chief Minister’s Inspection Team and the Planning & Development (P&D) departments to check on the presence of secretaries and other senior officials. According to a statement issued by the Chief Minister House, almost all provincial secretaries were present in their offices. The chief minister directed the chief secretary to seek an explanation from some secretaries absent from duty.

He checked the attendance of employees in various departments and instructed that staff presence be strictly ensured. He said all departments must work efficiently to resolve public issues and deliver better services.

The chief minister emphasised that staff should perform their duties diligently, arrive at the office on time, and focus on their work.

He noted that although the number of employees in offices had been reduced due to the overall situation in the country, this should not be used as a pretext for absenteeism. “Those employees who are on duty must ensure their presence,” he directed the chief secretary.

Published in Dawn, March 25th, 2026