KARACHI: The 22nd Apex Committee meeting observed that the Safe City Project of the city has been delayed due to the intervention of National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Sindh, therefore it was decided to take the NAB into confidence and restart the process.
The meeting was held on Thursday evening here at the Conference of CM House with chief minister Syed Murad Ali Shah in the chair.
The agenda of the meeting discussed in details includes draft madaris law, Karachi Safe city project, Cybercrime, detention powers under ATA, trial of street crime cases, issues of land grabbing, security of banks, installation of trackers in motorcycles, security audit of Dargahs, standard registration number plates, operation in Katcha.
The meeting took up the issue of Safe City Project and expressed reservation on its unnecessary delay. The meeting was told that the project was started with hiring of a Consultant but with the start NAB Sindh wrote a letter to the concerned officers. The consultancy is of Rs40 million, therefore the concerned officers put the project on the back burner.
On this the chief minister said that the NAB was told that the procurement has not been started and the work is being started right from hiring consultant but even then the NAB did not withdraw its letter.
The Apex Committee said that the project was most important and it must be implemented as has been conceived. At this the chief minister directed chief secretary to hold a meeting of IT team and other concerned officers and took the NAB into confidence and start the project afresh.
In the 21st Apex Committee meeting, the Rangers had sought detention powers under ATA. On this the chief minister directed the chief secretary to send the matter to the provincial cabinet for discussion and approval.
The matter of trial of Street Crime Cases in ATC courts was taken up in the meeting. It was pointed out that the judiciary was of the view that the street crime could not be tried into ATCs.
Taking part in the discussion the members said that when gun is used in the street crime it could be tried in the ATC. Therefore, the chief minister decided to introduce legal reforms in consultation with with the Sindh Judicial Academy.
“I want the street criminals must be dealt severely, we have restored peace in the city with heavy price and now the street criminals would not allowed to keep the citizens harassed, insecure and afraid,” he said and directed Law Minister to expedite the process of consultation and bring the matter in the cabinet and in the assembly.
The land grabbing issue also came under discussion on which the meeting was told that the operation was in progress and it was also producing results. “The land grabbing issue was being watched, dealt and bulldozed,” the law enforcement agencies told the chief minister.
The meeting was told that the federal government has been approached a number of times to declare Sindh police as civil authority in Foreigners Order 1951 but no progress has been made. The chief minister said that he had also sent a DO letter but the response is still awaited.
The Home Secretary told the meeting that he has held a number of meetings with bankers on the security of the banks. There is a SOP for security of banks but mostly the private banks do not follow it properly. Therefore, they have been directed to follow it. The security plan is being implemented.
The Apex Committee discussed the acquittals of different alleged terrorists and decided that in such cases appeals would be filed well in time.
Briefing the meeting on Installation of Trackers in motorcycles, Home Minister Sohail Siyal said that he had held a number of meetings with bikes manufacturers and assemblers.
“A proper mechanism has been evolved to install factory-fitted tracker in all the bikes being sold in the market,” he said and added that the final trial would be held on March 12.
Discussing the Security Audit of the Dargahs, the chief minister constituted a committee comprising Home secretary, secretary Works and Secretary Auqaf to sit together and make necessary arrangements as recommended by the police department. In the next Apex Committee meeting they would give implementation status.
The meeting was told that the standard registration number plates with security features were being introduced in the province. The motorcycles would have clear number plates installed on their front and rear sides.
The meeting also decided to launch targeted operation against criminals and dacoits in the katcha area. The preparation of the operation would be started and the concerned agencies would deem fit they would start it.
The chief minister decided to revive border force. The force was created with 1000 constables in 2006 and later merged into the police department. The revival would not affect the merger but deployment of policemen with the support of Rangers would be. The chief minister directed IG police to provide them logistic support and other necessary facilities.
It the meeting it was pointed out that there were still 62 buildings/roads in the city with the name of MQM founder and his family members. The meeting resolved that those who were against the state does not deserve any kind of honor or memorial.
The chief minister told the meeting that the cabinet has already taken such decision. The chief secretary was directed by the Apex Committee to rename the identified buildings and roads.
Those who attended the meeting include provincial ministers, Sohail Anwar Siyal, Syed Nasir Shah, Ziaul Hassan Lanjar, chief secretary, Corps Commander Karachi, Chief Secretary Rizwan Memon, DG Rangers Major General Mohammad Saeed, Principal Secretary to CM Sohail Rajput, AG Sindh Zameer Ghumro, Home Secretary Qazi Shahid Pervez, IGP Sindh AD Khowaja, Director FIA Muneer Shaikh, acting PG Saleem Burero, provincial heads of intelligence agencies and other concerned officers.