Governor gives assent to Sindh Safe Cities Authority bill

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KARACHI: Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori has given his assent to the Sindh Safe Cities Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2025.

A spokesman for the Governor House said that the amended law will help improve law and order and make surveillance system more effective.

Under the amended law, the provincial government will now appoint the inspector general of police (IGP) as chairman of the SSCA’s executive committee, replacing the home secretary and placing the IGP in charge of decision-making and implementation.

The bill also allows a BS-19 officer to be appointed as the SSCA director general (DG), whereas the post was previously reserved for BS-20 officers. The amendment substitutes the requirement for a BS-20 officer with the eligibility of either a BS-19 or BS-20 officer for the position of DG.

It further opens the post of chief operating officer (COO), previously reserved for a BS-19 officer, to BS-18 officers, while revising the requirement for COO to eligibility for BS-19 or BS-20 officers.

Amended law allows govt to appoint a grade-19 official as DG of authority; IGP to chair executive committee

The amended law also proposes replacing the “management committee” with “executive committee” to ensure enhanced oversight, including representation from the police, finance, information and home departments.

Under the amended structure, the nine-member SSCA executive committee comprises the IGP as chairman, along with the DG, COO, a representative each from the home, finance, information, and science and technology departments, the deputy commissioner and senior superintendent of police concerned, and the project director of the Safe City Project of the respective city or town.

Previously, the nine-member committee was headed by the home secretary and included the IGP, the relevant commissioner, local government secretary, head of police of the respective region or division, and representatives of the finance, information, science and technology, and excise and taxation departments, along with the COO.

Published in Dawn, January 14th, 2026

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