Attitude check: Traders ask police chief to fix rude behaviour of cops on VIP duty

Karachi AIG Mushtaq Mahar meets delegation of KCCI members


Ppi February 19, 2016
Karachi AIG Mushtaq Mahar meets delegation of KCCI members. PHOTO: AFP

KARACHI: Rude behavior of policemen deployed on VIP duty has forced traders to complain to the Karachi police chief.

"After wearing a uniform, they [policemen] think they have become more powerful than anyone else which is why their attitude becomes really rude and they can easily be seen behaving ruthlessly on the streets of Karachi," said former Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) president Siraj Kassam Teli.

He was in a meeting with Karachi police AIG Mushtaq Ahmed Maher at KCCI on Friday. He asked AIG Mahar to either issue strict warning to all police officers or introduce measures to ensure politeness towards the general public.

AIG Mahar admitted that police officers from top to bottom were acting very rudely with the public, particularly during VVIP movements, mainly due to a lack of discipline, training and punishment. He assured that plans are under way to train officers and ensure discipline amongst them.

Increase in street crimes

Karachi Operation, which was initiated in 2013, has resulted in substantially improving security situation as incidents pertaining to targeted killings and kidnapping for ransom have reduced drastically but, the rate of street crimes has increased, said KCCI president Younus Muhammad Bashir.

"A realisation about the significance of Karachi city and its role in economic prosperity of the entire country has developed among the various state institutions," Mahar replied. "The general consensus is that there is no going back from Karachi Operation which, if stopped, would result in a disastrous situation."

Curbing street crimes

Controlling street crimes is a serious challenge, said Mahar. However, efforts are underway to bring down the street crimes in the next couple of months.

The police department in association with NGOs has carried out a detailed research in which it had been identified that majority of the incidents of street crimes happen during traffic jams at peak hours from 5:00pm to 10:30pm, pointed out Mahar. To minimise the street crimes during traffic jams, the police officers would try their level best to ensure a smooth flow of traffic, he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 20th, 2016.

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