Karachi: With the entire city concerned over its elected mayor’s, Waseem Akhtar, inability to perform duties from behind bars, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah in reply to a media person’s question, on Thursday, said he personally wished the mayor could go about his duties freely but the situation was a bit complicated since Karachi’s mayor was imprisoned on serious charges.
Suggesting a probable solution, he said that as per a provision in the local government’s law, the deputy mayor of the city could be delegated the mayor’s powers in case the latter was unavailable or incapacitated to perform his duties for any reason.
The media talk occurred at a ceremony held for promotions of 251 police inspectors to the rank of deputy superintendent – the first time such a large number of police officers were promoted in one go.
Hoping the promoted officers would fulfil their duties efficiently, the CM observed that those not performing well would be taken to task forthwith.
Further expressing his resolve to address the police force’ problems on a preferential basis he said the importance of the force could be assessed by the fact that the entire country including students, farmers as well as businessmen relied on its protection.
“The police department is under colossal obligation of maintaining law and order in the city,” the CM added.
Congratulating the police officers, the Sindh CM said officials who were promoted had bigger responsibilities to fulfil now.
In his tribute to martyred policemen, Murad said the ceremony was the appropriate forum to recall well the services of policemen who sacrificed their lives for the country’s security.
He reiterated the provincial government’s resolve to improve Karachi’s security affairs and added that the responsibility of maintaining peace in the province of Sindh lay with the provincial police force.
“The province would not be able to progress at the desired pace without maintaining the security situation in an exemplary manner.” The CM further added that, “Parents would remain satisfied when you (policemen) would perform duties with honesty.”
He said the police had to play its role on pro-actively and only a self-sufficient and self-reliant police force could guarantee success of the ongoing targeted operation in Karachi.
While there had been a gradual increase in police funding, the budget allocation would be a mere exercise that also of no use if it was not spent for the purpose it was allocated for, Murad further stated.
The CM also called for healthcare services and other medical facilities to be provided to police officers injured on duty.
He stressed on the need for police to be properly trained and given the expertise needed to ensure peace and security in a region. Murad further called for a special budget to be allocated for police training, saying the police needed more funding to carry out its investigations effectively.
“Police officials had more obligations than other officers engaged in government service which is why their standards need to be upgraded.”
Karachi law and order
Responding to DG Rangers comments, made during a meeting of the apex committee on Wednesday, on doing away with quota system for government jobs – a long time demand of the MQM - the CM said the matter was political and should be resolved politically.
As for land encroachments in Karachi went, Murad said all encroachments existing in Karachi would be removed immediately. The question stemmed from the recent bulldozing of MQM offices after they were cited to be built on grabbed land.
“No encroachments would be tolerated. The administration not only razed offices of political parties but also pulled down other buildings built illegally.”
Furthermore, speaking of the August 22 hooliganism perpetrated by workers of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) following its founding member, Altaf Hussain’s, ‘anti-state’ speech, Murad vowed to bring the miscreants to book.
“Peaceful protest is the right of every citizen, but at certain occasion protestors get provoked to the extent that incidents such as these transpire,” the CM said, adding, that to counter such instances in future a special force would be raised.
Earlier, provincial police chief AD Khowaja received the CM. In his address, the IG Police stated that police force under his command had been doing its best to maintain exemplary state of peace in the city.
He said responsibilities of the newly promoted police officials had increased immensely. IG Khowaja further called upon the provincial govt to establish a separate fund for medical treatment of policemen injured in the line of duty.
