Ensuring safety: Apex committee decides to launch crackdown against street criminals

8,000 new policemen have been recruited, says Sindh IG

KARACHI: The apex committee, under the National Action Plan (NAP), has decided to take necessary measures to make peace in Karachi sustainable by launching a crackdown against criminals involved in street crimes and drug dealing.

The decision was taken at a meeting presided over by Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah. The operation against terrorists, target killers, extortionists, and kidnappers has produced encouraging results, claimed the CM, adding that the ongoing operation has broken the backs of organised criminals, mafias and terrorist outfits but it doesn’t mean that the target has been achieved. It was also observed that the criminals involved in street crime have no proper backing of any group or organisation but are operating on their own. As many as 1,400 suspects, who were given bails due to lack of evidence in different crimes, indulged in street crimes, the meeting was informed.



It was pointed out that drug mafias and traffickers support street crimes and finance terrorist groups. The areas where these gangs are stationed and operating from have already been identified and the CM, on the advice of the apex committee participants, approved the crackdown against them.

Fourth Schedule list

The meeting also discussed the details of the people whose names have been put on the Fourth Schedule, which lists all the known suspects belonging to banned militant or sectarian organisations, who by their disposition pose a threat to public peace and security.

In the meeting, it was pointed that there are around 3,023 proclaimed offenders and prosecutor-general Shahadat Awan was asked to share the list with the Rangers, police, intelligence agencies and other provincial governments for their arrests.

Fresh blood

Sindh IG Allah Dino Khawaja said that 8,000 policemen have been selected after clearing their National Testing Service (NTS) Test. He added that 4,000 newly recruited policemen were being sent to Risalpur for training and, when their training is completed, an additional 4,000 recruits will be sent.

Karachi Corps Commander Lieutenant-General Naveed Mukhtar said that he was handing over six armoured personnel carriers to the police along with 500 weapons.

Foiling terrorism

The meeting also decided to compile a list of the people and students of religious seminaries who have been to Syria, Iraq or Afghanistan and returned or stayed there. This task was assigned to Counter-Terrorism Department AIG Sanaullah Abbasi.

The meeting was informed that 93 religious seminaries have been put on alert list after they were accused of supporting terrorists. It was also pointed out that subnational groups were also involved in criminal activities and those working for terrorists will be taken to task.

Briefing the meeting about the Rangers’ performance and targeted operations, Rangers director-general Bilal Akbar said that the paramilitary force had established well-equipped check posts at Sassui Bridge near Ghaggar and Sindh-Punjab border at Kot Sabzal while the check post on Hub was under construction. Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan said that the closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras across the city must be upgraded.

This is the only way to monitor the entire city, he said. On this, chief secretary Siddique Memon said that CCTV cameras are being upgraded and more are being installed, adding that 10,000 cameras of 12 megapixels will be installed.

The CM said that he will extend all kinds of support to the law enforcement agencies. “Funds are not [the] issue,” he said. “It is my job to arrange funds. You have to make this city one of the most peaceful cities in the world.”

Published in The Express Tribune, November 4^th, 2016.