CM Murad Ali Shah says Rashid never spoke to Sindh govt about Rangers’ deployment at police stations

Responding to Federal Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid’s offer regarding using the Rangers for policing in Karachi, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Tuesday said the former had never discussed the issue of Rangers’ policing powers with him.

Rashid had earlier stated that he was willing to deploy the paramilitary force in the police stations of Karachi. To this, the CM said the interior minister never presented any formal offer to him. “Government business cannot run through media press conferences,” he said.

According to a statement issued, the CM talked about the law and order situation in Karachi at three different locations, including the CM House, the residence of journalist Athar Mateen who was recently gunned down by muggers, and the office of the Election Commission of Pakistan.

He said the government was carrying out legislation to deal with lawlessness and the entire police force was responsible for maintaining law and order in the city.

He explained that the government would ensure e-tagging of the habitual criminals and work on the Safe City project was also under way. He added that the Karachi additional IG had also submitted a proposal for police accountability the process of reward and punishment would be from the top officers to the SHOs.

The CM said the government had formulated short-, medium- and long-term policies to control street crime in the province, particularly Karachi. He added that under the short-term strategy he had made all the police officers right from the additional IGP to the police post in-charge responsible for the criminal activities in their areas.

“The police and Rangers have been asked to conduct targeted operations against street criminals, drug addicts and drug dealers,” he said, adding that an operation against gang leaders operating from prisons was also being launched. “We are developing a proper monitoring system in all our jails so that appropriate vigilance could be ensured. The law department has been directed to prepare a draft law for electronic-tagging of habitual criminals,” Shah said, adding that the government also did not want to legislate anything against human rights.

The CM announced that all the private security agencies, guards, and domestic and industrial workers would be registered for their development of a database. “I have given clear instructions to the police and district administration to register all the CCTV cameras installed at different locations in the city by private persons. We will help them to make it more effective, efficient and purpose-oriented,” he said.

He admitted that Karachi was short of 19,000 policemen, including 15,000 constables. “I have directed the IG Police to expedite recruitment so that they could be given appropriate training to deal with street criminals,” he said.

About long-term strategy, the CM said the Safe City project was being implemented in the Red Zone and other important areas. “Its tenders will be issued shortly, and I would personally monitor its pace,” he announced.

To a question, the CM brushed aside the impression of political interference in police matters. “We have given full powers to the IG Police and Additional IG Karachi to take decisions on merit,” he stated.

During a condolence visit to the house of Mateen, Shah said the police had got very solid clues about the killers of the journalist and they would be arrested soon.

The CM also said the media should not disseminate false information. “The looting of 100 citizens on Korangi Causeway was totally unfound and airing of such news creates a wrong impression that the police have failed to control law and order,” he remarked.

Later, the CM visited the ECP office for the scrutiny of nomination papers of Nisar Khuhro for the Senate seat that has been vacated after the disqualification of Faisal Vawda. The ECP accepted nomination papers of Khuhro for the election that would be held on March 9. The papers of Aajiz Dhamrah and Gul Mohammad Jakharni, the covering candidates for Khuhro, were also accepted.