KARACHI: The Government of Sind have decided to make drastic retrenchment in order to cut their expenditure, it was reliably learnt … on Saturday [Dec 31]. This scaling down in its expenditure will enable [it] to save about Rs 50 lakhs of the tax payers’ money. This decision has been taken in pursuance of the recommendations made by the special officer of the Provincial Government in April last who suggested a cut of Rs 39,00,00 in the overall expenditure of the Government.

…[T]he Premier and the Cabinet Ministers have agreed to reduce their personal staff by 50 per cent. They will have in future only one Personal Assistant, one steno and one clerk. The armed police guard at the Ministers’ residences will be removed and only night chawkidars will be provided. At the same time armed body-guards will no longer be required to protect the Ministers. The Government have made 50 per cent retrenchment in one of the province’s most important industry — Forest.

… Labour … has been completely abolished. … At least two of the peons of each minister will have to go. The main secretariat staff however steered clear through this crisis.

Published in Dawn, January 1st, 2025