Karachi's Additional Inspector General Ghulam Nabi Memon, who had earlier pursued the Sindh Security Vulnerable Establishment Ordinance approved by the Sindh government a few years ago, has managed to implement the law, and as a result 12,000 cameras have been installed in the city in a short span of two months.
Talking to The News on Saturday, Karachi police chief Memon said his mission was to provide a peaceful environment to the citizens, for which he was working upon the implementation of ordinance. All the major thoroughfares and inner lanes of Karachi were manned by the Karachi police, and this could be helpful to ensure an immediate response to checking crime and its detection.
Earlier, in December 2019, he held a meeting with his subordinates on the security situation, especially the street crime, and the implementation of the Sindh Security of Vulnerable Establishment Ordinance, which had not been implemented since its adoption.
Additional IG Memon stated that copies of the ordinance were sent for ready reference and they (the subordinates) were directed to go through it and take immediate steps to constitute a Security Advisory Committee in coordination with the deputy commissioner as provided for in Section 3 (1) of the ordinance.
He added that in the law, the major business hubs were also directed to install CCTV cameras and finance the government for the installation of these cameras. Moreover, a committee has been formed under the supervisions of sub-divisional police officers of all the three ranges of Karachi, i.e. East, South and West, and on a daily basis the addition IG was taking report from every range of the Karachi police about the progress.
He said that still notices had been served on the range DIGs for the installation of CCTV cameras, as still 2,350 spots had been identified in East Range for this. About 24,000 cameras have been installed in the East Range's three districts, i.e. East, Malir and Korangi.
Moreover, in the South Range, notices have been served for the installation of 60,63 cameras. In all, 17,402 cameras have been installed there. In the West Range 3,199 spots have been identified for which notices have been served. In the West Range, 16,091 cameras have been installed and 1407 more cameras are needed.
Memon said that after the installation of these cameras, a project which he expected to be completed in June or July 2020 with the support of the Sindh government, it would the first-ever Safe City Project of Karachi that could help with detection of crime and speedy action.
Karachi's top cop said that in order to give effect to the provision of the Sindh Security of Vulnerable Establishment Ordinance 2015, the following guidelines had hereby been issued and should be followed in letter and spirit.
Sensitive places
The SHO shall submit the list of all such establishments and places, through the SDPO concerned, to the Security Advisory Committee constituted under the new law to categorise, inspect and issue a security advisory to the listed establishments and places.
A copy of the list so placed before the committee shall also be submitted to the District SSP. The SHO of a police station shall carry out a detailed survey and identify all such vulnerable establishments within the jurisdiction of his police station that have been defined as sensitive or vulnerable in the above mentioned law. The SHO shall maintain a register to be known as SVEP Register and list therein the names of such establishments and places along with addresses, landline telephone numbers, name(s) of owners /lessees/management and a detailed description of the locality.
The SDPO concerned shall be responsible to check the SVEP Register during each surprise visit or an informal/formal inspection of the police station and make a note to this effect in the daily diary in his own writing. The SDPO is expected to be well conversant with the provisions of the new law and hence shall give appropriate directions to the SHO for their implementation.
Inspection of SVEPsThe security advisory so issued to any of the listed SVEP shall include a synopsis of the security environment of the identified establishment/place, including the size and location of the establishment/place; mention the categorisation of vulnerability/sensitivity; and suggest security measures that need to be adopted by the owner/management, including the deployment of security guards, erection of boundary walls with fencing and gates, installation of CCTV cameras, biometric system, walk-though gates, alarm system and/or other security measures. The SDPO concerned shall ensure that the Security Advisory Committee holds regular meetings to finalise the procedure well in time.
The SHO shall regularly inspect the listed SVEPs and review the security arrangements in accordance with the advice issued by the Security Advisory Committee. The SHO shall enter into the daily dairy and in the SVEP Register the details of all such inspections made in pursuance of the provisions of the law. The SHO shall inspect all SVEPs once a month, except financial institutions and profit-earning establishments, which the SHO shall inspect once in a fortnight. Entries of such inspections shall be duly recorded in the daily dairy and the SVEP Register. The SDPO shall inspect all SVEPs in his jurisdiction once in a month. The SDPO concerned shall hold periodical meetings with the associations/ representatives of SVEPs and brief them on the requirements of the law and issue them appropriate guidelines on the security measures. The SDPO and the SHO shall specifically brief the owners/management of establishments like education institutions, cinema halls, bus terminals and banks on the security measures in accordance with guidelines attached with 0G24/2014.
ViolationsKarachi police chief Memon said the SHO would take action against the sensitive or vulnerable establishments and places identified by the Security Advisory Committee for violations of the provisions of the SVEP Ordinance. The SVEP who has been issued a security advisory is required to implement such advisory within 30 days. In case of failure, the SHO concerned shall issue a warning in writing to the owner/management asking him to implement the advisory within 15 days. Such a warning shall be entered into both the daily diary and the SVEP Register.
In case of non-compliance after the issuance of the warning, the SHO shall take action under the provision of the law for the suspension of operations of the concerned establishment or place and take legal action against the owner/management in accordance with the law. In case the owner/management of the SVEP has failed to comply with the provisions of the law and subsequently an offence takes place or sabotage activity is carried out on the same establishment, such owner/management shall be challaned in the same case for criminal negligence and violation of the law.
In case any offence is committed or sabotage activity carried out on the premises of SVEP that has not been already inspected by the SHO and the SDPO, the concerned officers will be placed under suspension and departmental action shall be initiated against him.
MonitoringThe head of the district police shall establish an SVEP Security Monitoring Unit in his office under his personal supervision. The head of the district police shall be responsible to maintain a police station-wise list of all sensitive and vulnerable establishments and places. The list shall be regularly reviewed and updated.
The head of the district police shall maintain a record of all security advisory issued in pursuance of the provisions of the law. The head of the district police shall ensure that the meetings of the Security Advisory Committee are regularly convened for giving effect to the provisions of the SVEP Ordinance 2014.
The head of the district police shall send a fortnightly report to the additional IGP operations in respect of each security advice issued, security measures adopted by each SVEP in pursuance of the advice, and the penal action taken against owners/management in cases of violation.