Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has approved a police plan to electronically tag repeat offenders, for which 7,500 such persons have been identified to be tagged during the first phase of the plan.
Shah told a meeting he chaired at the CM House on Wednesday that in his last meeting on street crime he had directed the police to start extensive patrolling and take strict action against street criminals.
He also reminded the meeting that he had directed the police and the local administration to start removing drug addicts from the streets and other such places.
Karachi police chief Ghulam Nabi Memon informed him that during January and February, 143 encounters were conducted against street criminals, while as many criminals were killed and 147 injured during the police actions.
He said that 1,446 criminals had also been arrested. The CM was told that patrolling has been increased in the city, while intelligence-based targeted operations are also in progress. For the tagging of repeat offenders, Sindh police chief Mushtaq Mahar said that 7,500 offenders, who are either on bail or at large, have been identified for the purpose.
CM’s law adviser Barrister Murtaza Wahab said that a draft law for electronically tagging repeat offenders has been prepared and sent for vetting. The CM approved the proposal of tagging repeat criminals, and directed Wahab to expedite its vetting so that it can be discussed and approved by the cabinet.
Briefing the CM on the progress of setting up a rehabilitation centre for drug addicts, Chief Secretary Mumtaz Shah said he has identified a suitable location in the Gulshan-e-Maymar neighbourhood where drug addicts can be moved to.
The CM directed him to ensure the provision of all the required facilities at the proposed centre so that the police can start picking up drug addicts from the streets and send them there for rehabilitation. “Drug addicts are involved in street crime, so their removal from the streets is most important.”
Discussing the cancellation of bail of repeat criminals and strengthening prosecution, the CM directed Wahab and Mahar to form a panel of leading lawyers so that they can be engaged for the prosecution of criminals and the cancellation of their bail.
He also directed the police to arrange prosecution through competent private lawyers in high-profile cases. “I want to put a sizeable number of lawyers on a panel, and the complainants of cases will have the option to choose any lawyer out of the panel to prosecute their cases.”