KARACHI, 3 June — In a surprise move that seeks to send a signal to the police to be more careful in investigating cases, the Sindh provincial government demoted a number of police officers who had arrested nine Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) activists on charges of murdering former governor Hakim Said.

The accused were later handed down death sentence by an anti-terrorism court. The Sindh High Court on Thursday acquitted all the MQM activists exonerating them of murder charges.

But Karachi police chief Tariq Jameel refused to set them free saying other cases were pending against them. The police were preparing cases against them, he said.

The Sindh government was clearly embarrassed by the high court’s ruling. It ordered that all those who had investigated the high-profile murder be demoted forthwith.