‘All immigrants, legal or illegal, to be registered’

The Sindh government decided on Tuesday to register all immigrants, legal and illegal, living in Karachi and on its outskirts to develop a database.

This decision was made by Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah while presiding over a meeting to review the law and order.

Information advisers Mula Bux Chandio, law adviser Murtaza Wahab, chief secretary Siddique Memon, Rangers DG Major General Bilal Akbar, Additional IG Karachi Mushtaq Maher, Additional IG CTD Sanaullah Abbasi, home secretary Shakeel Mangnijo, and the provincial heads of intelligence agencies attended the meeting.

The participants of the meeting condemned the attack on the police training centre in Quetta.

The chief minister said the law and order situation in the province in general and in Karachi in particular was satisfactory because the law enforcement agencies had done a wonderful job.

The heads of the law enforcement agencies briefed the chief minister about crackdown in Karachi and the recent arrest of some high profile terrorists who had provided clues about other terrorists living in the city and their plans. It was pointed out that illegal immigrants living in Karachi, particularly in slum areas, and on its outskirt were either harbouring terrorists or supporting them.

Some of them are directly involved in terrorist activities. Therefore, it was decided to register them through a thorough survey to be conducted by the law enforcement agencies teams comprising Rangers, police and intelligence agencies.

A database would be developed including the details of immigrant living legally or illegally in Karachi or other parts of province.

The chief minister told the Karachi commissioner to hold a meeting with the Rangers DG, the IGP, the home secretary and other agencies and form over 15 teams which would start registering immigrants for which a proforma would be designed by the home department.

The chief minister directed Rangers and police to start extensive snap checking in Karachi, particularly in areas where information about subversive activities is received.

The chief minister directed the law enforcement agencies to launch an aggressive operation against drug traffickers operating in different areas of the city.

The agencies have already collected details and information about the operators, their hideouts and networks. It was pointed out that they were supporting terrorists and financing them.

The participants of the meeting were informed that there were around 93 madarasas having links with terrorists or banned outfits.

The intelligence agencies have gathered credible information about the activities taking place there.

The chief minister directed the home department to place these 93 madrasas on the watch list and maintain the record of their everyday activities.

The chief minister was given a report on the operation launched to bulldoze the offices of parties or groups built on government land. The chief minister approved extending the operation of bulldozing the illegal constructions on government land including markets parks, and madrasas. This operation will start after Chehlum.

The chief minister directed the IGP and Rangers to strengthen their check posts in Hub. There were some reports that terrorists were either establishing their hideouts or operating from the adjoining areas. He issued directives for strengthening the intelligence work there.

After an extensive discussions and deliberations the meeting decided to develop a working group of law enforcement agencies on the level of police home secretary and the Rangers DG to coordinate with the Balochistan government and agencies on a regular basis.

The chief minister said that he would call an apex committee meeting shortly to discuss the law and order issues by the time the law enforcement agencies should start their registration work and other operations as decided in the meeting and present their progress reports in the apex committee meeting.

The chief minister categorically said that if any organisation was found involved in terrorist activities, its entire infrastructure including offices would be bulldozed.