Politicians backing dacoits in Sindh: Sh Rashid

KARACHI: Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed Thursday made it clear that the federal government was not going to impose governor’s rule in Sindh, as Prime Minister Imran Khan didn’t want to interfere in the affairs of the province.

Speaking at a press conference here, he said false reports were being spread about imposing the governor’s rule in the province. He expressed resolve to eliminate bandits in the Katcha areas of Sindh.

He said Sindh Rangers were ready to serve along the police to conduct operation against the dacoits. He said it was the prerogative of Sindh government to deploy Rangers wherever it deemed fit adding that peace was a shared responsibility of both the federal and Sindh governments.

Sheikh said he would submit a report to the prime minister on the issues of Sindh. He said the prime minister would complete his five-year constitutional term, as they would make efforts to also make the next government.

He said they had better relations with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement. He said due action would be taken against the corrupt officials in the National Database and Registration Authority in Karachi adding that some corrupt officials had already been arrested.

He said the social media had highlighted the issue of “bandits’ rule” in parts of the province. He said it had been agreed in his meeting with the chief minister that the province and the federation would work together to tackle the issue of bandits.

He said they would be ready to extend the services of Rangers to the entire province if the Sindh government desired so. He said criminal cases under the Anti-Terrorism Act would be lodged against dacoits involved in murders and kidnapping people for ransom.

He said the centre and the province had no difference of opinion on the issue of saving the precious human lives. The interior minister said he had reports that certain people who patronized bandits in Katcha areas had vested political interests. He said impartial officials had to be selected on the basis of their capabilities while leaving aside the political considerations.

He said the Sindh government had transferred DIG and SSP posted in the troubled areas. He said all institutions were on the same page to eliminate bandits in the province. He said they had the intention to clear the Katcha areas of criminals.

To a question, Sheikh said he would inform the PM that he knew nothing about the affair of Jahangir Tareen. He said a proposed law would be introduced in National Assembly on the issue of missing persons.

To another question, the interior minister said no military base would be handed over to any foreign country as long as Imran Khan was in power. Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and Sheikh Rashid Ahmed also discussed overall law and order in the province. The meeting was attended by Sindh Law Adviser Murtaza Wahab, Chief Secretary Mumtaz Ali Shah, Interior Secretary Yousuf Naseem Khokhar and IGP Mushtaq Maher.

Corona takes 75 more lives in 24 hoursAround 20,540 deaths have been recorded since the eruption of the contagion. Around 4,966 have perished in Sindh, 9,899 in Punjab, 4,009 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 751 in ICT, 273 in Balochistan, 107 in GB and 535 in AJK.

A total of 13,006,326 tests have been conducted so far, while 639 hospitals are equipped with COVID facilities. According to Geo News, the country Thursday reported a positivity rate of 4.34%, which is the lowest since March 6, as the country sees a steady decline in coronavirus cases amid the deadly third wave of the pandemic. On March 6, the country recorded the positivity rate of 4.2%.

According to the figures provided by NCOC, the total caseload of the virus now stands at 911,302 with 831,744 recoveries so far. Although cases are decreasing across the country, Sindh is reporting a spike in infections resulting in stringent restrictions imposed by authorities across the province. Pakistan Thursday opened registrations for citizens aged 19 and above for vaccination. NCOC chief Asad Umar, a day earlier, tweeted about the government’s move to open registration. Umar said now registration will be open for the entire national population.