26 Women Assistant CommisionersWorking In Sindh

Karachi: In Sindh, 26 women have been appointed as Assistant Commissioners in various districts, bringing the total number of female Assistant Commissioners in the province to 17.The commissionerate system in Sindh is a legacy of the British colonial era. Former military ruler Pervez Musharraf had introduced a new local government system in 2001, which the Sindh government abolished in 2011, reintroducing the commissionerate system. Under the commissionerate system, there is an Assistant Commissioner at the tehsil level, a Deputy Commissioner at the district level, and a Commissioner at the divisional level.
The Assistant Commissioner in a tehsil works as the government’s representative. They hold the powers of a Revenue Magistrate, and this position comes with unique challenges at the tehsil level.Among their responsibilities, they have to control the prices and quality of daily use items and consumables, manage polio and other vaccination teams, address violations, plan traffic management, ensure law and order in the area, and oversee bus terminals and other local facilities.
Ghotki district in northern Sindh, considered sensitive due to honor killings, kidnappings for ransom, tribal disputes, and the presence of dacoits, now has Assistant Commissioner Rida Zahra Talpur, hailing from Hyderabad. Her mother is also a bureaucrat in the Mitiari district administration.Rida Zahra Talpur said, “When I was nominated as an Assistant Commissioner for the first time in Dharaki district, Ghotki, people were initially surprised about how a woman could handle this position. However, later, people gave an extremely positive response.”
“When I was transferred from Dharaki to Khan Ghar, people were curious as to why I was moved,” she added.
Many women, especially school students and female teachers, often ask her how they can become Assistant Commissioners.
shahida Parveen Jamro worked as an Assistant Commissioner in Mirpurkhas for more than two years and was recently transferred to Sanghar district. Hashim Shar, a senior journalist from Mirpurkhas, commented on Shahida Parveen Jamro’s work as an Assistant Commissioner, saying, “In the history of Mirpurkhas, there hasn’t been an Assistant Commissioner who has done so much for the public good. Despite pressure from the market union and intense protests, she removed large-scale encroachments, took action against those charging exorbitant prices for milk, yogurt, fruits, and other consumables, and sealed shops.”Hashim Shar further stated, “She effectively utilized the powers of a Revenue Magistrate, and despite facing a lot of pressure, she did her job effectively.”
The recent appointments of women bureaucrats in various capacities are as follows:
Assistant Commissioner Kaimari Town: Shaisata Jabeen
Assistant Commissioner Saddar Town Karachi: Zara Zahid
Assistant Commissioner District South Karachi: Shahida Khan
Assistant Commissioner Ibrahim Hyderi: Rabia Saeed
Assistant Commissioner Badin: Rabia Saeed
Assistant Commissioner Lyari: Rukhsar Sheikh
Assistant Commissioner Sujawal: Zainab Zahid
Assistant Commissioner Mirpurkhas: Nida Saeed
Assistant Commissioner Model Colony Korangi: Zainab Jahan Dad
Assistant Commissioner Liaquatabad: Saima Hassan
Assistant Commissioner Gulberg: Kainat Tariq
Assistant Commissioner Garden District South: Asma Irshad
Assistant Commissioner Karachi East: Saira Khan
Assistant Commissioner SITE Karachi: Fariha Tariq
Assistant Commissioner Korangi: Muneeza Siddiqui
Assistant Commissioner Shah Faisal Town: Asima Batool
Assistant Commissioner Malir: Aimen Farooq
Assistant Commissioner Keamari Town: Saba Imran
Assistant Commissioner Baldia Town: Aneesa Sadaf
Assistant Commissioner Orangi Town: Yasmeen Arain
Assistant Commissioner Gulshan-e-Iqbal: Rabia Nasir
Assistant Commissioner Clifton: Wajiha Tariq
Assistant Commissioner Karachi Central: Zainab Jahan Dad
Assistant Commissioner North Karachi: Samra Saleem
Assistant Commissioner Malir Cantonment: Komal
These appointments reflect a positive trend towards gender diversity in administrative positions in Sindh, Pakistan.