CM orders operation against drug mafia, petrol smugglers

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has decided to establish a 200-bed centre for rehabilitation of drug addicts in Kamber-Shahdadkot.

He made the announcement to this effect while presiding over a meeting on Wednesday to review law and order in Sindh. He directed police to speed up operation against drug traffickers and sellers.

Sindh Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mushtaq Maher briefed the CM about police action against the drug mafia in the province. He said 263 cases had been registered against drug mafia, of which 51 were registered in Karachi South Zone, 77 in Karachi East Zone, 53 in Karachi West Zone, 16 in Hyderabad, 15 in Mirpurkhas, 13 in Shaheed Benazirabad, 21 in Sukkur and 17 in Larkana.

The police chief explained that 71 culprits had been arrested, including one each in South and East zones, three in West, 21 in Larkana, 12 each in Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas and Shaheed Benazirabad and nine in Sukkur.

He said police had seized 7,185 kilogrammes (kg) of Gutka and Mawa from suspects. The IGP said police had also seized 299kg of charas, 4kg of ice, 3.432kg of heroin, 2kg of opium and 7,675 bottles of liquor from suspects.

The CM directed the Sindh chief secretary and IGP to prepare a scheme to establish a 200-bed rehabilitation centre for drug addicts. “The government would establish the centre and a well-reputed private partner would be assigned the responsibility to operate it,” he said.

Shah directed the Karachi additional IG and all the regional DIGs to not only target the retailers of narcotics but also round up the smugglers, dealers and traffickers. “I am committed to purging the province of different kind of narcotics,” he declared.

He said that he had reports that in the jurisdiction of the police stations of Hali Road and Hussainabad in Hyderabad, Kotri in Jamshoro, Mirpur Mathelo in Ghotki, B-Section in Khairpur, Sukkur City, and Kandiaro in Naushehro Feroz, drug trade was going on secretly. He directed the DIGs concerned to take strict action against such drug dealers and submit a report to him.

He also directed the police, particularly those of Karachi’s District West and Keamari, Kamber-Shahdadkot, Kashmore and Jacobabad to launch a special drive against smuggling of petroleum products.

Minorities and women

The IGP told the CM that during the last 10 days, four cases of crimes against minorities had been reported —one each in South and East zones of Karachi, Hyderabad and Mirpurkhas.

Shah was also told that 38 cases of crime against women had been registered, of which five registered in South Zone, 15 in East Zone, four in West Zone, seven in Larkana, five in Hyderabad, three in Shaheed Benazirabad and two in Sukkur. Most of the cases pertained to domestic violence.

Kidnappings

The meeting was told that five cases of kidnapping had been reported, four of which were honey traps in which kidnapped persons were enticed using female voices. The CM directed the police to launch an awareness campaign for the people to save them from such honey traps.

Street crime

The CM was told that during the last 10 days between August 11 and 20, two cases of car snatching, 53 of car theft, 104 of motorcycle snatching, 1,194 of motorcycle theft and 576 of mobile phone snatching had been reported.

Shah directed the provincial police chief to keep sending him a police station-wise progress report in this regard. “I have some information that some policemen dismissed after found being involved in serious crimes were still working with some police officers in Karachi in their private capacity and this is unacceptable,” the CM remarked, directing the IGP to purge the police department of such people.

The CM also directed the police chief to make an example of two policemen arrested for short-term kidnapping. At the start of the meeting, Shah also lauded the police for ensuring peace on two major events — August 14 and Ashura. He also lauded other law enforcement agencies in this regard.