KARACHI: President Asif Ali Zardari has directed Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah to launch a large-scale operation against street criminals in Karachi, dacoits in the Katcha area and drug traffickers throughout the province in close coordination with other provinces.
The president issued a number of directives, including for taking action against the drug mafia, curbing stolen goods trade, completing the much-delayed Karachi Safe City project to restore law and order in Sindh, particularly the provincial capital, amid rising violent street crimes.
The development came during a special meeting chaired by President Zardari to review the law & order situation in the province at the CM House on Wednesday, which was attended by the high-ups of the federal and provincial governments, as well as representatives of the security institutions.
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Federal Minister for Science and Technology Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, provincial ministers Sharjeel Memon, Nasir Hussain Shah, Ziaul Hassan Lanjar, chief secretary, inspector general police (IGP), Director General (DG) Rangers Sindh and other senior officials were present in the meeting.
The meeting was held to review the overall law and order situation in the province, specifically the longstanding issues of Karachi street crime, katcha bandits, menace of narcotics, land grabbing, security of foreign nationals as well as about facilities and resources.
Sindh CM Shah gave a detailed briefing on the law & order situation of the province to the president. He said the situation was improved after an operation in katcha (riverine) areas.
He added that the Iranian president’s visit to the metropolis, Pakistan Super League (PSL) and international cricket matches and peaceful organisation of religious events were proof of the improved law and order situation.
During a briefing, Sindh Rangers DG Major General Azhar Waqas apprised President Zardari that overall, 5,357 crimes were reported in the first four months of 2024. In 2014, Karachi was standing on the sixth number in the global crime index, which has now dropped to 82nd, the president was told.
He was told that street crime cases fell in March and April. Overall, 49 people lost their lives in 48 street crime cases, whereas 43 accused were arrested after probe into 27 cases while 13 suspects were killed in encounters.
To curb the street crimes, the provincial police took key measures by making Shaheen Force functional and restructuring Madadgar 15 in Karachi. Additionally, 168 cars and 120 vehicles were provided to the police, CM Sindh said.
President Zardari observed that the police force must know the spots where stolen vehicles and mobile phones were being sold. He ordered the police to take strict actions against the trade centres where stolen assets were being sold.
Sindh IGP Ghulam Nabi Memon briefed President Zardari that 107 police check-posts have been established on the left bank of Indus River. Moreover, 609 persons have been recovered who were abducted by criminals via honey traps, he added.
He detailed that 103 citizens were abducted from January to April 2024, 76 incidents were registered while 47 cases were not lodged by the victims. Police continued an operation to recover 20 abductees, he added.
The provincial police chief said that 63 dacoits were killed in the first four months of this year and 120 suspects arrested in wounded condition while 418 other suspects were also taken into custody. During separate operations, 17 cops were martyred and 27 got injured.
The president directed the establishment of police check-posts on the right bank of Indus River to improve the security situation in Shikarpur and Kashmore.
President Zardari ordered authorities concerned to complete the Karachi Safe City project “on war footing” to eliminate street crimes and other illegal activities affecting the law & order situation in the port city.
He also directed the commencement of fencing work on the Northern Bypass to curb katcha bandits’ activities. The president also ordered to complete the construction of Ghotki-Kandhkot bridge at the earliest.
He also directed initiating development projects on both banks of the Indus River in Jamrud, Guddu and Garhi Tego. Moreover, he ordered to include local dignitaries to resolve tribal disputes in riverine areas in the committees.
A tri-party mechanism should be formulated for effective coordination between Sindh, Punjab and Balochistan provinces, he said.
President Zardari also ordered the police to take strict action against the drug mafia besides directing the Sindh government to spread awareness against narcotics among parents.
The president issued directives to adopt special security measures for Chinese citizens. The provincial authorities have been told that there would be a “zero tolerance” policy over land grabbing.
He also ordered the Sindh government to approach the Centre for acquiring facilities such as ammunition required to maintain the law & order situation. He also directed transferring police officials who failed to maintain peace.
Earlier, a delegation of Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P), led by its Convener Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, met President Asif Ali Zardari here at the Chief Minister’s House on Wednesday. The MQM delegation comprised Syed Mustafa Kamal and Dr Farooq Sattar. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Sindh Chief Minister, Syed Murad Ali Shah, were also present on the occasion.
The meeting discussed the current political and economic challenges, and law and order situation in the country. The participants of the meeting developed the consensus that all the concerned political parties should work together and adopt a joint strategy to overcome the challenges in the country.
The MQM leaders conveyed their serious concern to the president on the worsening law and order situation in the province in general and Karachi in particular. The MQM delegation expressed serious concern that innocent people had been losing their lives and precious belongings in continuing incidents of street crimes in the city. The MQM leaders asked Zardari to use his good offices to normalise law and order situation in the city.
According to an MQM-P spokesman, the party wants to work with all the relevant political parties at all levels to resolve the issues of the residents of urban parts of Sindh.
Zardari told the delegation that he would chair a meeting on the law and order at the CM House later in the day. The president said that he would take along all the stakeholders for restoring the law and order.
The MQM delegation also congratulated Zardari on becoming the President of Pakistan for the second time. Zardari expressed gratitude to the delegation for facilitating him.