KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Tuesday approved a plan to strengthen Madadgar 15 by enhancing its force and equipping the team with vehicles, latest gadgets such as tablets, and forensic labs so that prompt action could be ensured to curb street crime.
Shah also decided to conduct a summary trail of the street criminals for which he constituted a committee under his law adviser, Murtaza Wahab, and the inspector-general of police (IGP), Dr Kaleem Imam, to prepare their recommendations and submit their proposal for cabinet.
The CM made the decisions leading a meeting Tuesday to evolve a strategy to control street crime in the city. Among those present were Wahab, Home Secretary Kazi Kabir, IGP Dr Imam, Additional IG Karachi Ghulam Nabi Memon, Additional IG CTD Kamran Fazal, Additional IG Special Branch Imran Yakoob, Deputy IG South Sharjeel Kharal, Deputy IG East Amir Farooqi, and Deputy IG West Amin Yousif Zai.
Shah, on the IGP's recommendation, approved a Rs6-million provision of 200 tablets for vehicles to be used by Madadgar 15. The team would have a dedicated force of 2,900 police officers and 200 mobiles.
Madadgar 15 would also be equipped with geo-location caller. The SSU has been provided 30 mobiles and they would also be deployed with necessary force. The CM directed the IGP to launch special training of Madadgar 15 personnel by SSU.
The CM approved vehicles required for forensic van for each Police Station and establishment of Drug Rehabilitation Centers (DRC) at Malir and Korangi.
On pointing by the Additional IG Karachi, the chief minister approved Rs96 million for repairing Karachi Police fleet and construction of police station buildings. At present only 20 Police stations are functioning in proper buildings.
The chief minister on the recommendation of the Karachi police approved creation of Security and Emergency Response Division (SERD). It was also decided to further strengthen SSU, and Crowd Management Unit (CMU).
Additional IG Karachi Ghulam Nabi gave a detailed briefing to the chief minister on the state of street crime and efforts of Karachi police to curb the crime.
He said that the drug addicts were involved in street crime and there were a large number of addicts in streets. The other reasons of the street crime were as a source of living and purchasing of drug. The meeting pointed out that there was no proper rehabilitation mechanism for drug addicts.
It was also pointed out that the lengthy Criminal Procedure, right from registration of case to its final judgement in the court, procedures were inconvenient.
“This discourages victim to get the case registered, thus accused get advantage,” the chief minister said and it was endorsed by the Additional IG Karachi, saying that of the 2,468 complainants approached by police [Police Victim Support Unit], only 15 agreed to get their cases registered.
At this, Shah directed Wahab, his law adviser, to prepare recommendations to simplify the criminal procedure.
It was also pointed out that bail policy was quite liberal; therefore, criminals keep repeating crime. Illegal Immigrants such as Afghans, Burmese, and Bengalis were also termed as drivers of street crime.
The Additional IG told the chief minister that the police have started searching hideouts of criminals in 162 Slum areas of city.
The chief minister said that there was a dire need to expedite Safe City Project, apart from strengthening investigation / prosecution and also ordered establishment of Forensic Lab.
Ghulam Nabi Memon, the additional IG, told the meeting that 390 offenders involved in repeated street crime have been apprehended in October 2019, and 1631 narcotic addicts have also been taken into custody, of them 1,156 narcotic addicts handed over to Edhi Home.
AIG Memon told the chief minister that mobile patrolling and picketing at hot spots have been intensified. “Beat-wise mobile patrolling plan and patrolling by escort mobile of senior Police officers have been started,” he said.
The chief minister directed the IG police to create dedicated manpower for DNA / Biometrics and give them required training/expertise. He also issued orders for creation of Crime Scene Management Unit (CCMU), establishment of case file preparation rooms which must be equipped with necessary equipment and gadgets.
He directed the IG police to select competent officers for Investigation branch and enhance their technical support from IB. The IGP told the chief minister that 25 sub-divisional Investigation Officers were being posted.
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