Rise in abductions worries govt

Sindh IGP Mahar says dacoits luring victims by using female voices on the phone

KARACHI:

With as many as 106 abduction cases reported in the last six months - as compared to 28 last year - the Sindh cabinet voiced concerns about what appeared to be a rising trend of kidnapping in the province on Wednesday.

Chaired by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, the cabinet’s ministers as well as provincial advisers were briefed by Sindh police chief Mushtaq Ahmed Mahar about the matter.

Sources told The Express Tribune that IGP Mahar failed to convince the CM and several of the cabinet members that the police were doing enough to deal with dacoits and criminals in various districts.

“Dacoits are luring people by using female voices to talk to them on the phone, thus leading to more kidnapping cases,” Mahar told the cabinet, adding that this had become a popular tactic in rural areas but was now controlled to some extent.

Meanwhile, sources in the police told The Express Tribune that out of 106 kidnappees, around 20 had still not been recovered while the majority of those released had paid ransom to their abductors.

“No prominent persons are being held captive by dacoits. They kidnap middle and lower-middle class people and get Rs200,000 to even Rs5 million for their release,” said a senior police official on the condition of anonymity, adding that most of the cases were reported in Sukkur, Ghotki, Kandhkot and Shikarpur.

Furthermore, according to the sources, the police often played a role in giving ransom to the dacoits.

Meanwhile, according to Sindh Information Minister Nasir Hussain Shah, the CM had categorically stated that he would take action against the relevant police officers in the areas where a person was kidnapped.

“The CM also told the IGP to inform SHOs across Sindh, and particularly in Karachi, not to permit any encroachments, warning that strict action would be taken against them otherwise,” he added.

Crime statistics

Earlier, Mahar informed the meeting that terrorism in the province had been controlled, while also comparing crime statistics with those from the previous year. He stated that 10 persons had been killed in target killings in 2019, while there were only two such incidents so far in 2020. However, there appeared to be a rise in murder and extortion, with 944 murders and 75 cases of extortion reported last year compared to 786 murders and 76 extortion cases so far in 2020.

Going over police performance, he added that the force had conducted 749 encounters, busted 537 gangs, arrested 8,112 street criminals and 6,504 other criminals, and killed 21 dacoits.

Separately, a CM House spokesperson told The Express Tribune that during the meeting, the CM had directed the police chief to strengthen the police’s investigation branch and even set up a separate cadre, if necessary. He reportedly also urged Mahar to upgrade locators, establish fingerprint mechanisms and boost the number of crime scene units from eight to 13.

Meanwhile, Karachi AIG Ghulam Nabi Memon told the cabinet that street crime was propelled by the presence of drug addicts on the streets. He claimed such crime declined when the police cracked down on such addicts, adding that theft and crime were their main source of livelihood and purchasing drugs

Education ordinance

The cabinet approved the empowerment of Sindh’s education boards to grant certification and diplomas to students promoted without board examinations as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

“The boards shall have the power to grant certificates and diplomas to the candidates promoted without examinations due to the outbreak of epidemic or pandemic or emergency declared by the government,” stated the draft ordinance on the matter, which will be presented for legislation in the upcoming provincial assembly session following the cabinet’s approval.

The meeting further approved a significant increase in compensation for civilian victims of various calamities, such as terrorist acts, natural disasters, targeted killing, and others.

Moreover, given the theft and misuse of vehicles, the cabinet approved Rs400 million to introduce number plates with security features in Sindh. The proposed number plates will have a template with ajrak and the Quaid’s Mausoleum featured on them.

According to the CM’s spokesperson, Murad suggested the provincial excise department discuss the plates’ finalisation with the relevant cabinet sub-committee.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 23^rd, 2020