Covid-19: At least 16 police officials die, 960 recover, 1,604 under treatment, says Sindh IGP

Police officials are performing duties selflessly during the ongoing pandemic, says IGP

KARACHI:

At least 16 out of 2,580 police officials infected with coronavirus in Sindh had died since the pandemic broke out in the country, whereas 960 had recovered and 1,604 were under treatment, revealed Sindh IGP Mushtaq Mahar on Saturday.

Addressing a meeting of the Sindh Public Safety and Police Complaints Commission (SPSC) at the Chief Minister House, he told the forum that police officials were being trained about necessary precautionary measures so they could safely perform their duties safely.

As Mahar added that the police were performing their duties selflessly during the ongoing pandemic, SPSC secretary Saifullah Abro praised the law enforcers’ efforts.

Abro also told the meeting that public complaints filed against police officials had been disposed of by the relevant committees, including complaints pertaining to exerting pressure to usurp land adjacent to a water park in Sukkur. The meeting’s participants were told that after investigation, an FIR was registered and the case sent to the court of law.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf MPA Mohammad Ali Aziz voiced concerns about growing street crime in the port city. At this, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said the Karachi police chief would be invited to the next meeting to brief the commission about street crime in the metropolis and the measures taken by the police to curb the menace.

The issue of providing vehicles to SPSC officials was also raised in the meeting, with the CM informing the participants that purchasing vehicles had presently been banned by the Supreme Court. “We will purchase vehicles when the court grants permission,” he said.

SPSC members also lauded the Khairpur police for arresting the retired teacher and tutor accused of sexually assaulting his students. They expressed the hope that the case would be investigated properly so that everyone involved could be brought to justice.

The CM stated that the commission’s next meeting would be convened in August. “Due to the coronavirus pandemic, we could not hold a meeting for some time, but it will now be convened in its due timeframe,” he added.

The meeting was attended by CM’s adviser on law and environment Murtaza Wahab, MPAs Sharjeel Inam Memon, Aziz, Hasnain Mirza, Shamim Mumtaz and Dr Sajeela Leghari, and civil society members Karamat Ali, Nazim Haji and Haya Emaan Zahid, among others.