In an unusual turn of events, the Sindh Home Department first abolished and then restored the public liaison committees (PLCs) within a span of 24 hours, raising questions over the clarity of the provincial government’s policy.
According to official correspondence, on October 3, 2025, the Home Department issued a directive de-notifying all Taluka-level (police station-wise) PLCs across the province. The letter instructed deputy commissioners to treat the previously established committees as dissolved “until further orders and constitution of new committees.”
However, the very next day — October 4, 2025, the Home Department withdrew its own notification, effectively restoring the committees. A fresh order, issued with the approval of the competent authority, clarified that the earlier de-notification stands cancelled.
The public liaison committees were originally introduced under a Home Department directive on July 14, 2025, instructing the deputy commissioners to establish such bodies across Sindh through the forum of district coordination committees (DCCs).
The move was aimed at enhancing community watch and local security by involving citizens, civil society members, and police representatives in joint forums at the district, Taluka and police station levels. Officials argued that PLCs would act as a bridge between law enforcement agencies and the community to ensure transparency, accountability, and prompt response to public grievances.
The abrupt withdrawal of the October 3 directive, within less than 24 hours, has fueled confusion within the administrative and policing circles. Senior officials privately acknowledged that the sudden backtracking suggested “a lack of coordination and clarity” within the Home Department.
Observers believe that given the security challenges in urban and rural Sindh, the government cannot afford frequent shifts in policy.
“Community policing and liaison mechanisms require consistency. Such back-and-forth orders undermine credibility and confuse local administrations,” a senior official remarked.
For now, the public liaison committees remain restored and are expected to function under the supervision of deputy commissioners and senior superintendents of police until further instructions.
This reporter approached Iqbal Memon, home secretary, Sindh, Rasheed Channa, spokesman for the CM, Sohail Jokhio, spokesman for the home minister, for the point of view of the Sindh government and the home Department, but despite many phone calls and text messages, all avoided to comment.
However, an officer of the government on the condition of not to be named, informed The News that the formation of committees was an unwilling decision of the provincial government due to the objections and reservations of elected representatives who termed the committees as unnecessary involvement in their powers.
The same source said that in the last some days, many MPAs and MNAs, especially of the Mirpurkhas division, had met the CM and the home minister and showed their dissatisfaction and reservations over the committees of their area. The source added that following their pressure, the government first abolished the committee, but when it came under pressure from some ‘powerful circles’, it felt compelled to withdraw its earlier order.
