Karachi Police chief announces steps to empower investigations wing

Dr Ameer Sheikh claims street crimes have decreased in the city

KARACHI: A day after the mayor's car was snatched from Defence Housing Authority in broad daylight, the city's police chief AIG Dr Ameer Shaikh claimed that street crimes had actually decreased in the city, with the department paying special attention to curbing the theft of motorcycles.

Dr Shaikh was addressing senior police officials in a meeting at the Garden Police Headquarters on Sunday, where he heard complaints of the investigation officers and sought their advice on how to improve the functioning of the force.



Announcing steps to empower the investigations wing, Dr Shaikh said that an interrogation room would be built as per international standards in every district within three months. Besides, the SIO - the investigations head at each police station - would be empowered and provided with the necessary resources, such as adequate manpower, computers, printers and photocopy machines, to effectively carry out investigations.

The city's police chief said that the investigation wing was the backbone of the department and all SIOs would be provided two cars, as many motorcycles and other facilities.

To improve the investigations process, the police chief directed the formation of investigation units comprising assistant sub-inspectors, head constables and constables.

Dr Sheikh said that each investigation officer would be assigned a maximum of three to four cases at a time, adding that the officer would also be issued funds in advance to aid the investigation. The SIO, meanwhile, would be responsible for the lockup in the police station and therefore, responsible for any suspects detained in them.

Further, a red party comprising eight to 10 police officials will be placed under the SIO, which will conduct raids to apprehend suspects. Maintenance of the police station's records would also be the responsibility of the SIO.  The police chief said that similar to the duty officer of the police station, a duty officer of the investigation department would also have to be present at the station round-the-clock.



The steps are being taken to strengthen the investigations department and bring it at par with modern times, said the police chief, adding that said that the operations and investigations wings were both units of the same force and should work for each other's success.  He also had a stark warning for the officials who were giving the department a bad name.

Dr Shaikh claimed that out of an infantry of 36,000 police officials, around 100 people were a source of defamation for the whole department. He said that he had given many chances to the black sheep, who had colluded with criminal elements, but now things had gone out of control and strict action would be taken against them.