Rejecting the impression that there are any differences between the Sindh government and the provincial police chief, Barrister Murtaza Wahab said on Thursday that the chief minister had held a meeting on law and order with the police.
Talking to the media at the Mazar-e-Quaid, the CM’s information adviser said the chief executive had expressed his annoyance over the recent incidents in Karachi, especially the killing of children due to police firing, and made it clear to the police that negligence will not be tolerated.
Wahab said the CM had directed the police not to use weapons in public places. He said that everyone in the government has to perform their duties with responsibility, and that the Sindh police are a part of the provincial government.
The adviser said the Sindh police, the Pakistan Rangers and other government institutions have jointly worked for maintaining law and order across the province, particularly for restoring peace in Karachi.
He said that the new police law will be introduced in the next meeting of the Sindh cabinet for approval, adding that they have planned to set up a Public Safety Commission through the new police law.
He also said that Sindh had strictly implemented the National Action Plan, and that restoration of peace in Karachi was its evidence. Replying to a question, he said Agha Siraj Khan Durrani had not threatened any lawmaker of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) during Monday’s session of the Sindh Assembly.
He added that the government had refrained from taking action when a member of the National Assembly belonging to the PTI had gathered people at the CM House. A day earlier, CM Murad Ali Shah had said that although the police are under the administrative control of the provincial government, some changes made in the relevant law have upset this control.
He said that some “insertions and deletions” made in the law have disturbed the Sindh government’s entire administrative control on the police. Whenever the government suggests any administrative change for better policing, someone raises a hue and cry and terms it “political interference”, he added.
“Yes, it is political interference, because we have been elected to power politically,” he said, adding that political governments take political decisions in the interest of the people. “So, what is wrong about that?”
The chief executive said that though the police are independent, they must make decisions after consulting with the government, and so these decisions will be better for policing. He said that the independence of the police does not mean that they have “a licence to kill innocent people”. “The basic job of the police is to protect the lives, properties and liberties of the people, but what is happening here seems to be disappointing.”
He said that the worst law and order situation in Karachi was righted by the police, the Rangers and the army because political guidance and the will of the government were behind them and their actions.
Ormara
Condemning the Ormara tragedy, Wahab expressed sympathy with the bereaved families and said the government was with them in their moment of grief. He said the blood of the innocent victims will not go in vain and demanded an investigation as well as exemplary punishment for the perpetrators.
Dr Jalibi
The adviser expressed his sorrow and grief over the sad demise of veteran academic and author Dr Jamil Jalibi and said that his services would be remembered for times to come.