Law and order: Between land grabbers and killers, IG deflects blame

‘The city should not be handed over to the army, police is doing a good job’.


Express July 23, 2011

SUKKUR:


There is no foreign involvement in Karachi, said Sindh Police Inspector General Wajid Ali Durrani at the officers’ darbar on Saturday.


“There are a handful of outlaws involved in creating unrest in the city.” According to Durrani, the police arrested six target killers three days ago and 11 more on Friday. “Since January the police have arrested 84 target killers and most of them operate as activists from different political parties whereas in reality they have nothing to do with politics,” he said. Durrani added that so far, the police had solved 155 murder cases by interrogating these people.

Discussing the violence that erupted in Malir on Friday, Durrani asserted that every killing was not a target killing. “Karachi is a big city and many people die because of road accidents or personal enmity as well,” he said.

Responding to a question about the Taliban presence in Katti Pahari, Durrani claimed that land grabbers were the real cause of the problem. “These land grabbers are targeting the Urdu- and Pashto-speaking populations. They want to ignite a fire that will lead to war,” he said. “The police has identified these men and they will not be spared.”

The discussion on the law and order situation led to an intense talk on the Awami National Party’s demand to deweaponise the city. “Although there are check posts in the city to monitor the influx of arms, they still keep coming in,” he said.

Durrani added that the city should not be handed over to the army. “The police is doing a good job and the impact of our new strategy will be visible in a week,” he claimed. According to the IG, if the law and order situation escalates and is beyond his control then he would ask the army to step in. “So far the situation is under control and I feel optimistic,” he said.

According to Durrani, it was his mission to make the police more people-friendly. “The police is duty bound to protect the people and their properties,” he said. Durrani added that he was satisfied with the overall law and order situation in all districts except for Sukkur.

He added that the SHOs were now responsible for investigating cases. “I urge the police officers and SHOs to conduct a proper investigation before presenting the accused in court. Otherwise they will face an unjust jail sentence.”

Salaries, land

“The president has agreed to raise police salaries by Rs4,000 a month,” he said.  “An amount of Rs100 million has been allocated for the repair and maintenance of police quarters and uniforms.” According to Durrani, around 200 to 250 acres of land in every district of the province will be allocated for the construction of residential colonies for the policemen. “They will receive plots ranging from 80 to 120 square yards on easy installments as well,” he said. “The government has decided to distribute Rs12 million among the policemen as a reward for killing criminals.”

The IG also distributed Rs10,000 and gifts among more than a dozen families of policemen who passed away in the line of duty.

Tribal courts

According to Durrani, sometimes policemen are forced to attend jirgas. “This usually happens in connection with criminals who are killed in an encounter, which is intolerable,” he said. “The jirgas need to understand that we do not kill anybody because of a personal vendetta.” Durrani added that if such incidents continued to take place, then the police authorities would pay for the compensation.

Battle wounds

Shabbir Ahmed Malgani, an injured policeman, stood outside the gates on his crutches as he was denied entry to the darbar. Malgani and three other policemen were severely injured in a suicide bomb blast which took place in the village of Napier Abad last year.

On the tenth day of Muharram, a majlis was being held in the village when a suicide bomber tried to force his way into the main hall. Sensing danger, Khanpur SHO Muhammad Hanif Khoso and other policemen caught hold of him and pushed him away. With prior warning, the bomber blew himself up and the SHO, head constables Peeran Jurio Rahojo and Allah Warayo Khoso and Malgani were injured. The head constables received minor injuries and started work soon after, however the SHO and Malgani were shifted to Aga Khan University and Hospital in Karachi. They were operated on and discharged two months later as the police was not willing to pay for their treatment.



Published in The Express Tribune, July 24th, 2011.

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