Sindh govt vows to end street crime in Karachi

CM Murad Ali Shah suggests E-tagging of criminals in their areas before launching a ‘targeted operation’

KARACHI:

Just as citizens felt a sense of security and believed that the menace of street crime was a thing of the past, bandits have struck back, looting locals seemingly at will in the metropolis. 

To address the issue on an immediate basis, the Sindh cabinet on Monday decided to work out a strategy to eradicate street crime in the city via E-tagging of criminals involved in repeated incidents before starting targeted operations against them.

The cabinet meeting, chaired by Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, also decided to establish public universities or campuses in all districts of the province and came out with a plan to regularise katchi abadis.

"We are now going to give ownership rights to the people living in katchi abadis free of cost. This decision is made in light of the PPP manifesto to provide shelter to people," the chief minister, while addressing the meeting, said.

The moot was attended by advisers, ministers, the chief secretary, home secretary, IGP police and officials of prisons and intelligence departments. It was informed that gangs were operating from the jails of Sindh.

Also read: More than 100 people robbed in Karachi's Korangi area

During the law and order briefing, the meeting was told about robberies, vehicle snatching and gangs of notorious criminals who repeatedly committed such crimes. "Electronic tagging is a system in which a criminal or suspected criminal has an electronic device attached to them. This enables the police to know if they leave a particular area," the IG, while briefing the meeting, said.

“I want electronic tagging of such criminals to be done so that an eagle eye can be kept on them,” the CM, while addressing the IG, said. “During the last one-and-half months, a new surge of street crime has created a wave of fear and insecurity in the city. I usually visit the city secretly, but have hardly seen the police and Rangers on the roads or on patrol in the respective areas,” he said. “Where are your SHOs? What are they doing and what is their performance?” he asked the police chief.

The police told the chief minister that during 2022, 123 encounters with criminals had occurred in which 12 suspects were killed and 82 injured. The CM was told that 1,217 criminals, involved in robberies were arrested, while 292 criminals were held in vehicle snatching/theft cases and 903 illicit weapons were recovered.

It was pointed out that out of 7,179 arrested accused, 3,666 acquired bail and 3,513 were acquitted. To this, the chief minister said that it was the weakness of the police that they were not investigating the cases properly.

The CM said that he would pay surprise visits to the city and wanted to see police and Rangers patrolling, snap checking and remaining active in their areas for the protection of citizens. “I want you to keep me posted on the fortnightly performance of SHOs in terms of criminal cases in their areas,” he said. Shah added that the SHO must have the knowledge of criminals active in their areas,” he said. He warned removing any officers who were allowing or showing negligence in curbing the crime. 

Gangs operating from jails

During the law and order meeting, it was astonishing to learn that some gangs were operating from jails. The chief minister directed the home department to launch a massive operation in all the jails and take strict action against such criminals.

Also read: Police fail to control street crime in Karachi

“I want the jail department to evolve a strategy to monitor activities of hardened criminals and gangsters in jail so that their gangs operating in the city can be brought to book,” he said.  Additional IG police said that over 15,000 posts of constables were vacant in the city.

Shah directed the IG to expedite recruitment of the constables and keep it a regular practice because 1,500 to 2,000 policemen were retiring every year. The IG Police said that presently, recruitment of constables was in progress.

Talking about the long overdue Safe City Project, the chief minister said the initiative has come to the tendering stage under which the entire Red Zone and all the important places would be covered. Meanwhile, it was decided that the CCTV cameras, installed by private persons on their streets, business centers and such other places, would be registered to facilitate them.

Following numerous complaints against private guards of influential people, who have been roaming in the city with weapons in order to harass citizens, the Sindh CM directed the police to act against such elements. He added that he has witnessed various vehicles with fake number plates moving about and using hooters/lights supposed to be used by the police. “I want you to take strict action against them,” he ordered.

The cabinet also gave its nod to transfer 19 rural health centers to the People's Primary Health Initiative (PPHI).