CM orders crackdown against drug mafia

Says 200-bed rehabilitation centre for drug addicts planned

KARACHI:

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah directed the Sindh Police on Wednesday to speed up its operation against the drug mafia, including their traffickers and peddlers.

At a meeting held at the Chief Minister's House to review law and order, Shah announced that a 200-bed rehabilitation centre for drug addicts would be set up in Qambar Shahdadkot.

Briefing the meeting Sindh IGP Mushtaq Maher said that 263 cases were registered against drug mafia across the province. Of them, 51 were registered in Karachi's South Zone, 77 in East Zone and 53 in West Zone while 21 cases were lodged in Sukkur, 17 in Larkana, 16 in Hyderabad, 15 in Mirpurkhas, and 13 in Shaheed Benazirabad.

The CM directed Karachi Additional IG Imran Yaqoob Minhas and all regional DIGs to not only round up drug peddlers but to also target smugglers, major dealers and traffickers and purge the province of all kinds of narcotics.

Shah said that he had received reports of a secret drug trade flourishing in the limits of different police stations - Hali Road and Hussainabad in Hyderabad, Kotri in Jamshoro, Mirpur Mathelo in Ghotki, B-Section in Khairpur, Sukkur City and Kandiaro in Naushero Feroze - of the province. He directed the relevant DIGs to take action and submit reports on the progress made.

He further directed the police to launch a drive against the smuggling of petrol, especially in Karachi's West and Keamari districts as well as in Qambar Shahdadkot, Kashmore and Jacobabad.

Announcing the decision to establish a 200-bed rehabilitation centre for drug addicts in Qambar Shahdadkot district, Shah directed the Maher to prepare a scheme along with Sindh Chief Secretary Syed Mumtaz Ali Shah. "The government will establish the centre and hand it over its operation to a well-reputed private partner," said the CM.

Crime overview

The meeting was informed that more than 35 cases - most pertaining to domestic violence - were registered across the province in recent days. Five of these were reported in Karachi's South Zone, 15 in East Zone, four in West Zone, seven in Larkana, five in Hyderabad, three in Shaheed Benazirabad and two in Sukkur.

Moreover, five abduction cases were reported in the province and in four of these cases the victims were lured by abductors using female voices. At this, Shah asked the police department to launch an awareness campaign against such elements.

The CM said he had received reports of policemen dismissed after being found guilty of involvement in serious crimes still working with police officers in Karachi in private capacity. This is unacceptable, said Shah, directing the IGP to rid the police department of such persons.

Referring to two cops recently held on charges of short-term kidnapping, Shah instructed the IGP to set a precedent by taking them to task.

The meeting was apprised that at least two cases of car snatching, 53 of car theft, 1,194 of motorcycle theft and 576 cases of mobile snatching were reported in the province during August 11 to 20.

Sindh Chief Secretary Mumtaz Shah, IGP Maher, Principal Secretary to CM Sajid Jamal Abro, Sindh home secretary, Special Branch Additional IG Ghulam Nabi Memon, Karachi Additional IG Minhas, Headquarters DIG Pir Muhammad Shah, Counter Terrorism Department DIG Omer Shahid, Central Investigation Agency DIG Nauman Siddiqui, DIGs of different districts and other relevant officials attended the meeting. Hyderabad DIG Sharjeel Kharal, Mirpurkhas DIG Zulfikar Mahar, Larkana DIG Mazhar Nawaz Shaikh, Sukkur DIG Fida Mastoi and Shaheed Benazirabad SSP joined the meeting via video link.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 26^th, 2021.