CM goes hard on police for alarming rise in street crimes

Orders top officers to adopt strict measures with zero tolerance

KARACHI:

Caretaker Chief Minister of Sindh Justice (retd) Maqbool Baqar presided a high-level meeting at the CM House on Monday and reviewed the overall law and order situation in the province. He observed that the crime rate, particularly the street crime in Karachi and Hyderabad, has increased while the Sukkur and Larkana ranges have shown no tangible progress in curbing bandits in the riverine areas.

"I want the police to take appropriate measures to bring the street crime rate to zero level in Karachi so that everyone feels safe and secured in the city," he said.

He also directed the police to fish out black sheep from their ranks who bring bad reputation for police and the provincial government.

The meeting was attended by Home Minister Brig (retd) Haris Nawaz, Chief Secretary Dr Fakhre Alam, Home Secretary Iqbal Memon, IG Police Riffat Mukhtar, Additional IG Karachi Khadim Rind, Commissioner Karachi Saleem Rajput, DIGs Special Branch, CTD, South, East and West.

The commissioners and DIGs of Hyderabad, Sukkur, Larkana, Mirpurkhas and Shaheed Benazirabad attended the meeting through video link.

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Briefing the CM on law and order situation in the province, IG Sindh Police Riffat Mukhtar Raja said that during the current year, 1,660 people were killed, 232 kidnapped and 155 extortion cases were reported. Out of 229 kidnapping for ransom cases, 44 reported in Karachi, three in Hyderabad, one in Shaheed Benazirabad, 45 in Sukkur, and 136 in Larkana but all the abducted persons were recovered, except for two of Sukkur, and one of Larkana.

The IG claimed that kidnapping for ransom and robbery incidents have decreased by 90 per cent because of focused strategy and targeted operation.

The IG mentioned that due to the divided focus of Karachi police on drive against illegal foreign nationals, smuggling and electricity theft, the street crimes surged. He added that action against organised crimes and gutka/mava were being carried out with zero tolerance. Police officials involved in patronizing crime are facing punishment as per the law. 

About police performance the IG police said that 1,831 encounters were conducted across the province, in which 1,080 gangs were busted, 11,262 terrorists/dacoits were arrested.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 28^th, 2023.