No compromise on registration of seminaries in Sindh

Provincial apex committee says illegally-constructed offices of all political parties to be demolished; CM says operation in Karachi to continue; DG Rangers suggests end to quota system

KARACHI: There will be no compromise on registration of religious seminaries and illegally-constructed offices of all the political parties would be demolished.

This was decided in a meeting of the the provincial Apex Committee of Sindh on Wednesday.

The political and military leadership, taking part in a meeting, resolved to take the ongoing targeted operation in Karachi to its logical conclusion.

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, after taking oath as the new chief executive of the province on July 29, presided over the meeting of the provincial apex committee for the first time.

The meeting took into consideration the progress so far achieved in conducting the targeted operation in Karachi against criminals and terrorists that is continuing since September 2013.

The Sindh CM said on the occasion that the targeted operation in Karachi will continue till securing all the desired results. He said that noose was being tightened around criminals while in no way gangs of miscreants would be allowed to impose their will and wish on the people of Karachi.

The CM said that nobody would be allowed to extort money from public under the garb of doing welfare activities in the city. He said that the writ of the government would be upheld at all costs for maintaining peace in the city. He said that the entire civilian and military leadership was present on a single page for the sake of peace in the province and police and Rangers were equally active for the cause of restoration of peace.

Some media reports said the Director-General of Sindh Rangers Major General Bilal Akbar, while taking part in the apex committee meeting, proposed abolition of quota system in government sector’s jobs in the province for ending the sense of deprivation in the residents of urban parts of Sindh. The chief of Sindh Rangers was quoted by sources as saying that youth could be separated from criminal activities by ending the sense of deprivation among them while the targeted operation alone could not achieve the dream of a peaceful Sindh. He was reported to have said in the meeting that for the cause of complete peace and calm in the province, supremacy of merit should be ensured in the process of employment opportunities in the government sector and for doing admissions in educational institutions.

Later, while talking to newsmen, Sindh Information Adviser Maula Bakhsh Chandio denied the reports that the apex committee’s meeting had discussed any matter related to quota system in jobs.

The Sindh CM, while taking some important policy decisions in the apex committee’s meeting, decided to establish an anti-riot force and Information Technology (IT) wing under which 2,500 officials would be recruited to operate the Criminal Record Management System (CRM).

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), briefing the Apex Committee, said that there was a dire need to develop automation system in the police department for which the Punjab government had agreed to give its software to the Sindh Police free of cost.

Elaborating on the automation system, he said an IT cadre may be created under a DIG IT with 2,500 technically well-trained officials to operate different management systems such as Criminal Record Management System (CRMS), Police Record, Human Resource and complaint management systems. On this, the chief minister approved the proposal and directed the chief secretary to get the formalities expedited in this regard.

The chief minister approved the creation of an anti-riot force initially with 100 personnel. The new force would be imparted special training to deal with riots and riot-like situation. It was noted that most of the requirement of equipment and gadgets were available with the Karachi Police but even then the chief minister promised to provide whatever was needed by the new force.

It was pointed out that registration number plates of vehicles had no safety features. Therefore, it was decided that new standard number plates would be introduced, which would have complete security features, including a tracking system. Motorcycles would also be issued such number plates. The chief minister directed chief secretary to coordinate with the Excise Department to introduce new number plates.

In the meeting it was noted that despite a clear ban on the display of arms, most people were violating the ban. The chief minister through the chief secretary issued directives to all the deputy commissioners to inform the people in their respective areas about the ban and after that strict action would be taken on such displays.

The meeting took an important decision on hide collections. It was decided that welfare organizations interested in collecting hides would be have to seek an NoC from the concerned deputy commissioners. The government would reserve the right to audit accounts of such welfare organizations to ascertain where they spent the funds generated from hides.

The chief minister also decided to strengthen the investigation unit in Sindh Police. The police will recruit detectives of B-17 as assistant directors/ deputy directors to investigate important cases such as murders, kidnappings for ransom, etc. The chief minister directed the IGP to send him the proposal so that proper qualified detectives could be hired and be imparted professional training.

Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah approved the establishment of facilitation centres to bridge the gap between the police and public. The centres would address day-to-day issues of common man, restore public confidence in police and build a soft image of police. The centres would serve as reporting centres for missing children, lost and found articles and assist citizens in issues related to police verification.

The chief minister said that keeping in view the issues of investigation, he had enhanced the budget of “Cost of investigation” component from Rs264 million in 2015-16 to Rs364 million in 2016-17. The IG said that earlier Rs20,000 were given for the investigation of a murder case and Rs20,000 for kidnapping for ransom and Rs11,000 for bank robbery. Now the government has increased the cost of investigation to Rs100,000 for murder; Rs100,000 for gang rape; Rs100,000 for kidnapping for ransom; and Rs100,000 for bank robbery. While the cost of investigation of cases of bomb explosion, suicide attacks, target killings and cases of anti-state activities had been set at Rs500,000 for each such instance.

The meeting observed that the instances of recovery of hidden explosive materials were taking a long time to get resolved because there was no lab in Sindh. The explosive material recovered is sent to Lahore for testing. On this, the chief minister directed the IGP to talk to the Punjab Police for establishing a forensic lab in Karachi. “I have already approved Rs2 billion for the purpose but I just want you to expedite it,” he said.

The chief minister also noted that the recruitment of 200 inspectors for investigation, 170 law inspectors and 30 PDSPs was taking time in the SPSC. “I would urge you (law minister, AG and IGP) to explore ways and means so that all the recruitments in the police could be made urgently but purely on merit.”

The IGP told the meeting that he had started recruitment of 14,000 constables through the NTS and had involved the Pakistan Army officers for physical checking. “I am sure the new force of constables would be dynamic and alert,” he said.

The meeting was also briefed on the August 22 incident of violence.

It was informed that two FIRs had been registered with the Artillery Maidan police. In both the cases, 44 people, including three women, have been arrested. Some women dismantling/torching public property have been identified through CCTV footages.

It was also disclosed that some other women wanted in the two cases of violence had also been identified and their families have given the undertaking that they would produce them whenever they would be required for investigation.

The chief minister said that he had given special attention to the implementation of the National Action and China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Therefore, he urged the police and Rangers to take concrete steps so that the decisions taken for both (NAP and CPEC) could be implemented in true letter and spirit.

The meeting was informed that the recruitment of 2,000 ex-army personnel for the security of Chinese engineers (working on CPEC related projects) on a two-year contract period was in progress. So far, 806 personnel have been inducted, of them 168 have been deployed and the remaining 638 would join training next week.

For the recruitment of the remaining force, applications had been received and the process would be started next week.

The issues related to illegal immigrants, particularly of Afghans, were also discussed and it was decided that the federal government would be approached to ensure their repatriation. It was also disclosed that the names of 602 persons had been put on the Fourth Schedule i.e. they may be treated as a threat to peaceful atmosphere and for the purpose, 41 cases have been registered.

The meeting was also briefed on the progress of cases recommended for military courts, hate speeches, violation of loudspeakers, etc.

The chief minister thanked all the participants for their input and said that their collective efforts (of all the members and institutions such as corps headquarters, Rangers and intelligence agencies, police) have played an important role in restoring peace in the city. This peace would be made sustainable at all costs. The government has adopted the policy of zero tolerance for any criminal activity.

Those who attended the meeting included Governor Sindh Dr Ishratul Ebad, Senior Minister Nisar Khuhro, Corps Commander Karachi Lt General Naveed Mukhtar, DG Rangers Major General Bilal Akbar, IG Sindh AD Khowaja, adl IGs Mushtaq Maher and Sanaullah Abbasi, Advocate General Zamir Ghumro, Prosecutor General Shahadat Awan and other senior police officers. 

Later, talking to newsmen, Sindh Information Adviser Maula Bakhsh Chandio said that registration of religious seminaries in the province under a fresh system would be done at all costs.

Chandio said that offices of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement had been built on government’s land on undue basis and illegal occupation of state land in this regard had been undone. He said that in no way politics of rioting and hooliganism would be tolerated. He said that any person could use abusive language against the government but such abusive words could not be tolerated against the country. He said the meeting of the Apex Committee decided to observe the ban on display of weapons in the province on a strict basis.