Imran Yaqoob Minhas takes charge as Karachi’s top cop

Karachi Range Additional Inspector General of Police (Addl IGP) Imran Yaqoob Minhas on Tuesday took charge of his responsibilities as the city’s new top cop as his predecessor Ghulam Nabi Memon relinquished the position.

In a ceremony held at the Karachi Police Office, Minhas and Memon exchanged command sticks, according to the spokesperson for the Karachi Police. On his arrival earlier, Minhas was welcomed by Deputy IGP (Admin) Zulfiqar Ali Larik and other senior police officers.

A smartly turned out contingent of police presented a guard of honour to the new Karachi police chief. After assuming his new charge of office, Minhas addressed all senior and junior officers of the Karachi police and directed the station house officers (SHOs) to adopt full-fledged policies to control the rising incidents of street crime. “Controlling street crime is the first priority of the Karachi police.”

He directed the police officials to ensure proper and friendly behaviour with the public, and to increase coordination, warning that he would pay surprise visits to review the SHOs’ performances. “There is a zero-tolerance policy in the implementation of the SOPs issued by the government in view of Covid-19. Strict action will be taken against the SHOs who fail to enforce the SOPs.”

Talking about the investigation process, he said the investigation wing is the backbone of the police department, and directed the SPs (Investigations) to review the measures taken for improving the investigation process. He also ordered coordination between the investigations and operations wings of the police from arrest to conviction from courts.

Regarding the traffic police, he said they are responsible for maintaining traffic on the roads, and also directed the SPs (Traffic) to ensure actions against encroachments and illegal parking. He also directed the police to behave with the citizens in a good manner during the lockdown, saying that the Karachi police are doing their best with their limited resources to maintain law and order in the city.

The Government of Sindh had on Monday swapped the posts of the Karachi police and Special Branch chiefs, appointing Minhas as Karachi Range Addl IGP and Memon as Special Branch Addl IGP.