Sindh’s top cop orders strict measures to curb street crime in Karachi

The newly appointed Sindh police chief on Monday held a high-level meeting at the Central Police Office (CPO), where he ordered the revival of the task force and curbing street crime in Karachi, and also warned that supervisory officers would be dismissed from service if their intelligence reports are proved wrong.

Officials said Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ghulam Nabi Memon chaired a high-level meeting and videoconference at the CPO Karachi soon after taking charge as the provincial police chief. All additional IGPs, DIGs, SSPs and other senior officers on duty at provincial level attended the meeting.

The meeting discussed the current law and order situation in Sindh, police security plans, anti-crime measures, organised crimes and other serious crimes, including police strategy and action plan to strengthen the investigation department. The IGP gave necessary instructions in this regard.

He ordered reviving the task force against gutka, mawa and narcotics immediately. He said that if the intelligence report given by the Special Branch against such crimes is proved wrong, the person providing such a report would be dismissed from service immediately.

If organised crimes are rampant, if drug dens are active and if their report is not provided, strict departmental action will be taken by holding the relevant SSP and SHO responsible, because there is no scope for black sheep in the police department, he added.

He stressed that all SSPs would ensure their presence in their respective government offices from 10am to 2pm, and during this period they would not only hold scheduled meetings with the public but also ensure timely redressal of their grievances and problems.

He said that the process of free registration of FIRs should be made truly active and people-friendly, otherwise the area SHOs and others would have to face departmental action.

Memon instructed the SSPs not to issue show-cause notices to area SHOs for petty crimes. He said that like the notification of appointments of SHOs, notifications and orders should also be issued for the appointment of additional SHOs, whose purpose would be to assume the responsibilities of the area supervisor in the absence of SHOs.

He also said women police officers should be assigned important responsibilities at departmental level so that the elements involved can be brought to book, while prevention of crimes against women and children can also be ensured.

He added that talented and educated police officers should be appointed as duty officers of the police station, and that they should also be given regular authority to register complaints, listen to the problems of people and solve their problems.

The police chief said that all those head moharrars who do not take courses should be removed from their responsibilities immediately, and those who take departmental courses should be appointed in their place.

He said DSPs and SHOs should ensure transparent use of available funds for the repair and renovation of police stations, fuelling of police station vehicles, etc. He added that he would personally pay surprise visits to check police station lock-ups, the condition of the buildings, etc.

He also said that the welfare of police officials and their families is his priority, and a plan is also under consideration for the early issuance of health cards in this regard.

Regarding the investigation department, he said that expert, experienced and talented officers joining the investigation department would be given one-step promotion, but it would not have anything to do with seniority.

The progress of each investigating officer will not only be checked but their appointments will also be made keeping in view their complete data and performance, he added.

On the report that only 54 out of the total 171 traffic light signals in the city are correct, the IGP said that a draft containing comprehensive recommendations in this regard should be sent for review and approval of the Sindh government so that the responsibilities of the traffic engineering bureau regarding repair and maintenance of traffic light signals can be handed over to the traffic police department regularly.

He said that these guiding measures would also ensure the timely repair of traffic light signals and also maintain traffic flow on roads and highways.

He added that steps should be taken to install cameras at traffic light signals and deploy armed police personnel to ensure anti-crime measures, including the prevention of traffic rule violations.

Memon said that a part of the amount received in the form of ticket challan fines should also be kept for issues like maintenance and repair of these cameras.

He instructed that motorcyclists should be made to use helmets, and prevented from speeding and rash driving. He said that the practice of traffic police officers and personnel present in the form of teams on roads, highways and other places should be ended immediately, otherwise strict disciplinary action would be taken against them.