Over 10,000 ‘ghost seminaries’ unearthed, Sindh Apex Committee told

Committee approves Rs6 million compensation for heirs of each martyred policeman/member of LEA plus two jobs for bereaved family members

KARACHI: The provincial Apex Committee of Sindh after thorough discussion and deliberations has emphasized the need to bring sustainability to peace restored in Karachi and as for this cause Sindh police have to be strengthened and for the purpose 20,000 policemen would be appointed in the province, including 8,000 police personnel for Karachi.

The Pakistan Army would train these new recruits of police.  The decision to this effect was taken in the provincial Apex Committee meeting held under the chairmanship of Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah at the CM House on Thursday. 

The meeting was attended by Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan, provincial ministers, Corps Commander of Karachi Lt. General Naveed Mukhtar, acting chief secretary Rizwan Memon, DG Rangers Major-General Bilal Akbar, Principal Secretary Alamuddin Bullo, IG of Sindh AD Khwaja and others.

DG Rangers Major-General Bilal Akbar and IGP of Sindh AD Khwaja gave presentations on the performance of their respective forces and also highlighted issues and challenges in this regard. 

The apex committee developed new strategy to address these issues and face the challenges. The meeting was informed that some 8,855 seminaries had been registered and registration of another 1,178 was under process. It was also pointed out that over “10,000 ghost seminaries” have been unearthed through the process of physical verification of data of seminaries. This verification was made when 7,724 seminaries were geo-tagged.  It was pointed out that therewas reduction in target killing, kidnapping for ransom and extortion cases. 

The figures quoted in the presentation said that the cases of terrorism and target killing have been reduced by 80 per cent. In 2013 there were 80 to 100 target killing incidents every month but now hardly any incident takes place. Similarly, the cases of extortion have been reduced by 85 percent and kidnapping for ransom instances by 90 percent. In 2013 some 1,774 cases of kidnapping were reported and in the first five months of 2016 only 13 cases were registered.

The meeting was told that when the operation against Chhotu Gang was launched in Punjab the Sindh Rangers had started extensive checking on the borders of Sindh-Punjab and Sindh-Balochistan. The check-posts were also set up along the River Indus from where penetration of terrorists was expected. On this the committee appreciated the efforts and spirit of Pakistan Rangers.

The participants of the meeting were informed that due to restoration of law & order in the city the prices of property in Karachi have increased by 23 percent. 

The sale in the markets of Karachi during last Ramazan jumped to Rs70 billion, selling of national flags and buntings on August 14 remained at Rs5 billion while trade and industry kept on flourishing.

The committee, expressing its satisfaction on the current situation, decided to develop new strategy to make peace in the city sustainable. For which the chief minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah approved the appointment of 20,000 policemen, including 8,000 in Karachi.  Corps Commander Lieutenant-General Naveed Mukhtar said that he would make necessary arrangements to train the new police force by Pakistan Army. 

The chief minister told the committee that the establishment of 10 new anti-terrorism courts was at final stages. "We are going to establish six ATCs at Central Jail Karachi and their buildings would be ready by the mid of June 2016 and they would start functioning from July 1, 2016," he said and added that the Sindh High Court had assured his (CM’s) law team that they would appoint judges for the new 10 ATCs by the time.

The chief minister also informed the meeting that he has approved the appointment of 200 prosecutors. He on the insistence of the committee directed the law minister to explore the provision of appointing these prosecutors as soon as possible at least for the initial six months period and by the time the SPSC (Sindh Public Service Commission) would finalize their appointments. "I would not allow any appointment on the basis of any (unlawful) recommendation but this must be done purely on merit," he said.

The committee, taking another decision, gave the go-ahead to the IGP to upgrade its GSM phone locators from 2G service to the level of 4G service. It was pointed out that the federal government was reluctant to give provincial authorities the NOC for purchasing 4G GSM phones locators for which the Chief Minister, the Governor and the Corps Commander assured to use their good offices to equip Sindh police with the latest gadgets.

The IG said that the installation of new CCTV (closed-circuit television) cameras of 10 Megapixels technology would cost Rs1.76 billion. For the purpose the committee allowed the IGP to work out the issues in this regard with Sindh secretary of finance under the guidelines of the chief secretary. 

The government was committed to provide upgraded CCTV network to Sindh police in the city. Finance Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said that he would issue necessary directives to his department to arrange funds for police.

The meeting, taking yet another decision, said that the Rangers check-points set up at Sindh-Balochistan and Sindh-Punjab borders would provide necessary facilities, and representatives of other departments such as police, narcotics, excise and taxation, NADRA and other departments would be given space to sit at these check-points so that checking and verification of every incoming and outgoing individual and vehicle could be made through electronic and digital equipment.

The meeting decided to strengthen the Special Branch, the Counter Terrorism Department, training centres of police, Karachi police by providing them necessary equipment, vehicles, force, trainings and on top of it the committee approved Rs6 million compensation for each case of martyred policemen/member of LEA plus two jobs for the bereaved family members.

The Apex Committee decided that police would be strengthened for all intents and purposes. The chair approved the establishment of Benevolent & Welfare Board to provide necessary facilities to the policemen and their families.

The committee meeting was also informed that the chief minister has approved PC-I to establish a forensic lab for technical evidence. NADRA have also been requested to provide access to police to data related to the family tree of criminals. Now investigation has become a technical job, and it must be traced through database, the IG said.

DG Rangers Major-General Bilal Akbar told the meeting that he had developed a National Action Plan (NAP) software through which consolidated data of Larkana and Sukkur Divisions have been developed. In that data all Madaris, NGOs, churches, Imambargahs, renowned criminals, proclaimed offenders and other such things have been covered as the data is easily accessible as it has been verified through NADRA. He added that he was developing a similar software for Karachi and other divisions. He offered the Sindh police to get access to the software for ready references.

The meeting also decided to further strengthen the intelligence system so that there should not be forced collection of Fitra and Zakat during Ramazan.

The Apex Committee also urged the IG to appoint a special force for the security of the Chinese citizens working on the CPEC (China Pakistan Economic Corridor) projects and on the other projects. A force of some 2,000 ex-army men was being created.

The chief minister also appreciated the collective efforts of the Rangers, the police, the intelligence agencies and the support of the Corps Commander and the Governor to implement NAP and make the Karachi operation successful. 

NO TALK ON REMOVAL OF HOME MINISTER: Later briefing the newsmen after the meeting, Sindh Information Advisor Moula Bakhsh Chandio said the meeting of the apex committee had not taken into account any matter related to removal of the provincial Home minister as change of any of the provincial ministers is the prerogative of the leadership of the ruling party.

He said that some 2,000 Chinese nationals would come to the province to work on various development projects (mostly related to CPEC) as matters relating to their security had been discussed at the meeting of the apex committee.   

He said that the participants of the meeting greeted the law-enforcement agencies for their success in the law and order situation.