F.P. Report
KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah Friday presiding over a meeting on law and order has categorically told the provincial police that he would not tolerate crime against women, children, minorities and cases of kidnapping for ransom and drug trafficking.
“This should be considered as guiding principles and be focused accordingly – however, I am establishing a separate unit to monitor crime situations at CM House, therefore crime rate must be seen coming down in all the police zones/regions of the province.”
The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Mumtaz Shah, IG Police Mushtaq Mahar, PSCM Sajid Jamal Abro, Addl. IGP Special Branch Ghulam Nabi Mahar, Addl. IGP Karachi Imran Yaqoob Minhas, DIGPs of all police zones of the city and through video link Addl. IGP Hyderabad, Addl. IGP Sukkur and their DIGPs, said a news release.
Inspector General of Police Mushtaq Mahar briefing the chief minister said from January 1 to August 5, 2021 no terrorism and target killing incident took place in the province, however 1,035 murder, 103 extortion and 118 cases of kidnapping for ransom were reported. He added that most of the kidnapping for ransom cases have taken place under honey-traps.
IGP said 10172 incidents of crime against persons, 31107 property, 16745 miscellaneous, 17320 local and special law, 535 fatal and non-fatal and 24 of blasphemy were reported.
The IG Police sharing monthly crime report of August 2021 with the chief minister disclosed that four cases of minorities were reported in the province, including one in East Zone of Karachi, two in Mirpurkhas and one in Sukkur. Similarly, 73 cases of offence against women were reported, of them 24 in East, 18 in South and five in zones of Karachi, 10 in Hyderabad, six each in Sukkur and Larkana and three in Shaheed Benazirabad and one in Mirpurkhas regions.
As far as crime against minors were concerned 19 cases were reported, including eight in East, seven in West and two in South zone of Karachi and two in Hyderabad region. Only six cases of extortion were reported- three in East, each one in South and West. Mushtaq Mahar told the chair that 44 cases of theft of contraband items such as petrol and diesel were reported, including 32 in Hyderabad, seven in Mirpurkhas and five in South Zone. He added that 244 cases of drugs were reported, including 59 in South, 66 East and five in West zones of Karachi, 63 in Hyderabad, 19 in Larkana, 17 Mirpurkhas and 15 Sukkur.
Karachi – Street Crime: The meeting was told that 14,816 cases of mobile snatching, 137 of four wheelers snatching and 995 of four-wheeler theft, 2,635 of two wheelers snatching and 28,784 of two-wheeler theft have been reported in the city.
Addl. IGP Karachi told the Chief Minister that overall law and order situation was under control in the city, however, few incidents such as kidnapping and murder of minor girl Maham in Zaman Town, and looting of a cash van that resulted in the killing of two persons at F.B Area were worth mentioning here.
Police performance: The police conducted 960 encounters in which 674 gangs were busted, 61 terrorists arrested/killed, and 9628 dacoits killed/arrested. The police recovered three LMG, 77 rifles, 94 SMG/Kalashnikoves, 368 shotguns, 110 grenades and 5163 pistols.
The CM was told that the police raided 6607 drug dens, recovered 7502 kg chars, 198 kg heroin and 75.307 kg Ice and registered 8561 FIRs and arrested 10396 culprits.
Hyderabad: The chief minister was told that Hyderabad Range was traditionally a low crime area, except Dadu district where violent incidents were being reported. At this the chief minister said that there were some reports that illegal trade of gutka/mawa were on the increase in Hyderabad region and the incident of Dodo Bheel and burning of house of Shankar Malhi were intolerable.
He directed IG Police to convey his displeasure against the police officers of Hyderabad region.
The meeting was told that 40 molestation cases and 272 cases of kidnapping have been reported this years. Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said last year’s data showed that only 192 kidnapping cases were reported and why the kidnapping crime was increasing. The IG Police said most of the cases had taken place under honey-trap.
Sukkur/Larkana Ranges: the chief minister said Sukkur and Larkana Ranges were showing rising crime trends. He cited the examples of Ajay Kumar Lalwani, a local journalist of Sukkur region. Murad Ali Shah directed IG Police to order investigators to each and every case of killing so that their killers could be brought to book.
The chief minister directed the chief secretary to announce a policy that every police officer would have to work in the Investigation wing to qualify for the next promotion. “On ward all the police officers, from Inspectors to SSPs would be given Annual Confidential Reports on the basis of a portion of their services in Investigation work.
The chief minister said that he was not happy with the crime report – it must be controlled.
He directed Addl. IGP Special Branch to further strengthen his intelligence work and keep posting the crime situation to the concerned police officers and to him. “We have to work together in a well-coordinated effort to improve the overall law and order situation in the province,” he said and added he was developing his own system to record crime situations and that would serve as a district-wise data base to make the concerned police accountable.
The chief minister directed the Inspector General of Police to start a vigorous and targeted operation against the drug mafia from Saturday and keep him sending day-to-day reports. He said that the culprits involved in crime against children, women and minorities must be brought to book.
He said he would be reviewing law and order twice or thrice in a month and would take action accordingly.
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah taking serious notice of the incident took place in Tando Mohammad with the Special Assistant of the Prime Minister directed DIGP Hyderabad to submit a detailed inquiry report. He added that such incidents were undemocratic and should not be allowed to happen.
