'Crime on rise in Sindh with IGP uncertainty'
Syed Murad Ali Shah says killings went up by 30%, car theft by 64% in a single month
File photos of Dr Kaleem Imam (L) and Syed Murad Ali Shah (R).
KARACHI:
Expressing dismay over the Centre's attitude over the Sindh police chief's transfer, the provincial cabinet claimed on Wednesday that murders in the city had risen by 30 per cent while vehicle snatchings had gone up by 64 per cent in a single month.
The cabinet, at a meeting chaired by Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, stated that the law and order situation in Karachi was worsening in the wake of the uncertainty that had developed in the appointment of the new Sindh inspector general of police (IGP).
Sharing crime data, the CM said that in December 2019, 19 people were killed in the city, but in January, the number increased to 30. Likewise, he claimed, 128 cars were stolen in December, while in January, the figure rose to 191, while the recovery rate also declined from 34 per cent to 24 per cent in this duration. He also shared similar statistics about stolen motorcycles and mobile phones.
"It is unfortunate that the federal government, despite making an agreement in principle, is lingering over the IGP transfer," deplored the CM, terming the deteriorating statistics a result of the halt in the police chief's transfer.
Turning to the killing of Pakistan Peoples Party MPA Shahnaz Ansari, Shah said, "Law and order has fallen to such an extent that a sitting MPA has been killed even though she sent an application to the IGP [asking] for security on February 12," he said.
The cabinet also expressed displeasure that the main suspect had not yet been apprehended.
Regarding the murder of journalist Aziz Memon, the CM said that he had sent Sindh Education Minister Saeed Ghani to meet the deceased's family and offer the registration of a case against anyone suspected of involvement. He said he was ready to order an inquiry into the murder.
The cabinet also endorsed a memorandum of understanding on the establishment of a cooperative relationship between the Shanghai Municipal Public Security Bureau in China and the Sindh police department, allowing it to be signed.
Under the agreement, the Chinese officials will train the Sindh police in detecting crime, combatting riots and sharing crime data.
Toxic gas
Discussing the toxic gas leak in Keamari, Shah claimed that the Karachi Port Trust authorities and the relevant minister kept passing the buck to the Sindh government, instead of ordering an inquiry into the matter.
Establishing graveyards
The meeting was informed that all six deputy commissioners had been directed to explore land for the establishment of graveyards in the city. As a result, appropriate land was identified in the West, Korangi and Malir districts, while no suitable land was available in the South, Central and East districts.
The cabinet approved the reservation of the land for graveyards and decided to transfer it to the relevant local government bodies.
Dealing with misappropriation
The cabinet further gave approval to a plan under which no flour mills could be declared as Procurement Reserve Centres (PRC), because of cases of misappropriation. Furthermore, only those officers are to be posted as PRC or godown in-charges against whom no cases are under trial.
The Board of Revenue informed the cabinet that software had been developed for the automation of stamping, improving recovery rates.
The issue of regularising teachers was also taken up, with the CM constituting a sub-committee to either make new laws or amend the existing law in order to regularise contractual employees. He also directed all the department to send a list of their contractual employees to the committee so they could be considered for regularisation. The committee is to make its recommendations within a month.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 20th, 2020.
Expressing dismay over the Centre's attitude over the Sindh police chief's transfer, the provincial cabinet claimed on Wednesday that murders in the city had risen by 30 per cent while vehicle snatchings had gone up by 64 per cent in a single month.
The cabinet, at a meeting chaired by Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, stated that the law and order situation in Karachi was worsening in the wake of the uncertainty that had developed in the appointment of the new Sindh inspector general of police (IGP).
Sharing crime data, the CM said that in December 2019, 19 people were killed in the city, but in January, the number increased to 30. Likewise, he claimed, 128 cars were stolen in December, while in January, the figure rose to 191, while the recovery rate also declined from 34 per cent to 24 per cent in this duration. He also shared similar statistics about stolen motorcycles and mobile phones.
"It is unfortunate that the federal government, despite making an agreement in principle, is lingering over the IGP transfer," deplored the CM, terming the deteriorating statistics a result of the halt in the police chief's transfer.
Turning to the killing of Pakistan Peoples Party MPA Shahnaz Ansari, Shah said, "Law and order has fallen to such an extent that a sitting MPA has been killed even though she sent an application to the IGP [asking] for security on February 12," he said.
The cabinet also expressed displeasure that the main suspect had not yet been apprehended.
Regarding the murder of journalist Aziz Memon, the CM said that he had sent Sindh Education Minister Saeed Ghani to meet the deceased's family and offer the registration of a case against anyone suspected of involvement. He said he was ready to order an inquiry into the murder.
The cabinet also endorsed a memorandum of understanding on the establishment of a cooperative relationship between the Shanghai Municipal Public Security Bureau in China and the Sindh police department, allowing it to be signed.
Under the agreement, the Chinese officials will train the Sindh police in detecting crime, combatting riots and sharing crime data.
Toxic gas
Discussing the toxic gas leak in Keamari, Shah claimed that the Karachi Port Trust authorities and the relevant minister kept passing the buck to the Sindh government, instead of ordering an inquiry into the matter.
Establishing graveyards
The meeting was informed that all six deputy commissioners had been directed to explore land for the establishment of graveyards in the city. As a result, appropriate land was identified in the West, Korangi and Malir districts, while no suitable land was available in the South, Central and East districts.
The cabinet approved the reservation of the land for graveyards and decided to transfer it to the relevant local government bodies.
Dealing with misappropriation
The cabinet further gave approval to a plan under which no flour mills could be declared as Procurement Reserve Centres (PRC), because of cases of misappropriation. Furthermore, only those officers are to be posted as PRC or godown in-charges against whom no cases are under trial.
The Board of Revenue informed the cabinet that software had been developed for the automation of stamping, improving recovery rates.
The issue of regularising teachers was also taken up, with the CM constituting a sub-committee to either make new laws or amend the existing law in order to regularise contractual employees. He also directed all the department to send a list of their contractual employees to the committee so they could be considered for regularisation. The committee is to make its recommendations within a month.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 20th, 2020.