‘Shortage of vital equipment hindering implementation of plan’

KARACHI: Following last week’s disclosure by the city police chief regarding combined checkpoints at Karachi’s major entry and exit points, IG Sindh Ghulam Hyder Jamali was on Sunday informed that, while the Pakistan Army and Sindh Rangers were onboard for the plan, a dearth of vital equipment such as vehicle scanners, Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) and bullet-proof vehicles was hindering its implementation.
Sindh Police has chalked out comprehensive plan for the surveillance and monitoring of all the exit and entry point in Karachi in coordination with the Pakistan Army and Sindh Rangers but it required vehicle scanners, Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) and Bullet-Proof vehicles to strengthen the check posts and combat the militants and terrorists.
This was informed at a high-level meeting to review at length the security measures and police performance especially in accordance with the National Action Plan (NAP) with Inspector General of Police Sindh Ghulam Hyder Jamali in the chair.
The meeting was informed that strict surveillance was being made by police at all entry/exit points of all the districts across the province.In this regard, co-ordination meetings have been held with 5 Corps and Rangers for a comprehensive plan to monitor all entry/exit points of Karachi.
“The Vehicle Scanners at main routes & entry/exit points in Sindh and hardcore equipment like APCs, bullet-proof vehicles etc. are required to strengthen the way of surveillance and checking at all said points”, the meeting was told. On the occasion, the IGP Sindh directed for further strengthening the Intelligence Collection System and to gear-up the targeted operations against terrorists/criminal elements.
The meeting was informed that six cases have so far been reported against misuse of loud speakers under Loudspeaker Act and Hatred material; 5 cases were reported in Karachi and 1 in Hyderabad, during the first three weeks of January 2015.
The meeting was further informed that 218 armed militants belonging to TTP and affiliates were killed in various police encounters whereas 521 were arrested, during 2013-2015 period.“In year 2014 alone, 13 terrorists involved in sectarian killing were killed and 122 arrested”, the meeting was told. The report with regard to overall police performance revealed that during 2014­2015: 180 terrorists, 47 kidnappers and 613 dacoits/criminals were killed in police encounters whereas 341 terrorists, 198 kidnappers and 13186 dacoits/criminals were arrested by the police.
Similarly during the given period, police recovered 655 kilograms of explosives, one LMG, 23 bombs, 16 RPG-& rockets, 13 suicidal jackets, 553 grenades, 7 G-3 rifles, 374 SMGs/KKs, 1068 rifles/shot guns and 10777 pistols/revolvers. Ghulam Hyder Jamali further directed that small search groups at police stations level may also be constituted to search for criminal elements around government offices/ residential areas, schools buildings, vital installations and public places to foil the nefarious design of anti-state and anti-social elements.