A total of 36,804 proclaimed offenders involved in different criminal cases are still at large in the province, the Sindh police informed the Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday.
Filing a compliance report with regard to the arrest of absconding accused and proclaimed offenders in the province from September 29 till November 21, the AIG police operations submitted that police had arrested 1,632 of 50,058 proclaimed offenders while another 3,016 had obtained bail and 8,606 proclaimed offenders’ names were struck off from the trial proceedings.
He submitted that 36,804 proclaimed offenders were still at large. The high court had earlier directed the Sindh inspector general of police and prosecutor general to submit detailed reports on the proclaimed offenders who were still at large and whether any of them had fled the country.
During the hearing of matter pertaining to a request for extradition of former MQM Karachi Tanzeemi Committee incharge Hammad Siddiqui in the Baldia factory fire case, the SHC had inquired the police and labour department with regard to compliance of the court orders.
Regarding fire safety arrangements in the factories, the labour secretary filed a compliance report submitting that labour department officials inspected 800 factories and ensured safety provisions as per the court directives. Besides, he said, 1,530 factories had been visited and 623 certified by officers with regard to their safety measures.
He said that inspecting officers of the labour department were not empowered under the existing labour laws to take action against industrial units operating in residential areas. He submitted that action against owners of factories operating in residential areas could only be taken by the district administration and Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) as town planning and permission of industrial plots were accorded by the SBCA while the authority of registration of plots lied with the district administration. Taking the reports submitted by the police and labour department on record, the SHC adjourned the hearing till December 19.
The high court had earlier directed the labour secretary to file a comprehensive report with regard to the working of factories in residential areas of the city and what steps had been taken against them. The secretaries of labour and law departments were told to ensure that health, safety and firefighting standard operating procedures were finalised and implemented in each factory in Karachi.
