Sindh decries Interior Ministry response to ban 94 madrassas

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that his government would never allow terrorists and religious fanatics to keep playing with the lives of innocent people even if the federal government refuses to cooperate which is evident from the response of Ministry of Interior to 94 madrassas involved in supporting or penetrating terrorism.

This he said while presiding over the Sindh cabinet meeting here at the 7th floor of News Sindh Secretariat. The meeting was attended by all the provincial ministers, including Nisar Khuhro, Manzoor Wassan, Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani and others. The advisors and special assistants were invited specially.

Briefing the cabinet on the response of Ministry of Interior to ban 94 madaris allegedly involved in promoting terrorism, the chief minister said that in the Apex committee the list of the madrassas was presented. The Committee was told that 94 madrassas were involved in terrorist activities.

They had presented solid evidences gathered from the terrorists arrested by Law Enforcement Agencies and they had revealed startling disclosures against the said madaris.

He told the cabinet that in reply of 46-page letter, the Ministry of Interior has sent a three-page reply and now “we have sent them reply of their letter and would see and definitely see what action they are going to take and this would ascertain their seriousness to eliminate terrorism from the country,” he said. 

LAW and ORDER:

The cabinet meeting started with the briefing by IG Police AD Khowja on law and order. Giving comparative performance of 2015/16, he said that all the other heinous crimes have come down considerably.

He added that terrorism has come down to -15 percent, extortion – 27 percent, kidnapping for ransom by -12 percent, target killing by -27 percent, murder by -29 percent, and dacoity by -21 percent.

AD Khowja quoting SRSS report said that sectarian violence has decreased in KPK and Sindh while it has increased in FATA, Punjab and Balochistan.

He added that 60 percent decrease has been witnessed in causalities of Law enforcement agencies personnel.

On this, the chief minister said that it was encouraging but there was huge hue and cry against street crime. Why it has increased and police have failed to control it.

The IG said that  it has also decreased and said that there was – 24 percent decrease in mobile snatching, -34 percent decrease in four wheelers snatching, -14 percent four wheeler theft, -13 percent decrease in two wheeler snatching and only two wheeler theft has increased by +14 percent.

He added that in 2015 some 21028 mobile phones were snatched while in 2016 the snatching was record at 16010. Similarly there 336 incidents of four wheeler snatching and in 2016 it was recorded at 221. The four wheeler theft in 2015 was 1805 while in 2016 it was at 1559. The snatching of two wheelers was 2843 in 2015 and it declined to 2473 in 2016 but the theft of two wheelers which was 18087 in 2015 increased to 22,358 in 2016.

On this the chief minister expressing his displeasure directed the IG to take strict action and mobile all his police officers, including SHOs to control the street crime.

“We can’t be happy merely on the declined figures of the criminal activities but it is our responsibility to bring it down to zero. The people of this city have seen lot of blood and now I want to smiles and confidences on their facers,” he said and asked the IG Police to make all his officers accountable.

ARMS LICENSES

The Home department had floated a proposal to the cabinet for granting permission to issue new arms licenses.

Briefing the cabinet, Home Secretary Shakeel Mangnijo said that 1063315 arms licenses have been issued throughout province. The home department has received 473,347 arms licenses for registration, of them 198,426 have revalidated/registered and still over 500,000 licenses have not been filed for registration which the department considers as cancelled. 

On this the chief minister said that permission of issuing new licenses could not be granted now. He directed home secretary to expedite the registration work of the linceses he has received so far.

AMENDMENT IN LG ACT 2013

The local government has brought an amendment in Sindh Local Government Act 2013 in Section 25 of SLGA -2013 under which a mechanism for removal of chairman, vice chairman and Mayor was to be approved.

The cabinet did not approve the proposed amendment saying that the removal of the elected Mayor, Chairman etc should be through vote of confidence. However, the cabinet formed a committee under Senior Minister Nisar Khuhro, Mir Hazar Khan bijarani, Murtaza Wahab, Burhan Chandio, Syed Qasim Shah and others to examine the proposed amendment and give its recommendation. 

NEW SECTION IN CrPC

The cabinet also discussed insertion of new section in CrPC making DNA testing mandatory in rape cases. The proposal was that within 72 hours of the rape incident DNA samples must be collected by concerned police officer for testing. 

The cabinet approved the proposal in principle but formed a committee to examine the entire clause and propose addition and deletion in the draft. A detailed mechanism may also be proposed to collect samples and also suggest penalty/punishment in case the concerned officer fails to collect the samples.

The cabinet also discussed some other legislative issues and formed some committee. However, the chief minister directed the IG police to vacate the DIG office housed in social welfare department hostel.

RANGESR GIVEN SPECIAL POWERS

Sindh Chief Minister on Wednesday approved the summary to grant special powers to Pakistan Rangers expired on January 10. After the approval of the chief minister the home department has moved the summary to the Ministry of Interior for necessary action.

Meanwhile, Sindh Cabinet has decided to fix wheat procurement target for the forthcoming procurement season at 1.2 million tons. It may be noted that last year it was 11 lac tons.