Quaid Mazaar’s stolen grills found

Cases registered against scrap dealers, drug addicts involved in buying and selling

KARACHI:

A large portion of the iron grills of the fencing wall around the 28-acre ground of Mazar-e-Quaid was cut and taken away by drug addicts and sold to the scrap dealers in the Lines Area. However, the mausoleum management, in coordination with the law enforcing agencies, recovered the stolen grills which were cut into pieces.

Consequently, the Mazar management has resolved to erect a protective wall around Jinnah Ground, mirroring the security measures at Mazar-e-Quaid.

The existing protective wall around Jinnah Ground, constructed in the 1970s, has gradually weakened over time. The vulnerability of this infrastructure was exploited by drug addicts who worked during night hours to steal the grill.

Sources reveal that the long protective wall surrounding the 28-acre Jinnah Ground, constructed in the 1970s, had shown signs of deterioration. The Mazar Management Board routinely inspects the wall's integrity, removing and storing particularly weakened sections to safeguard citizens and prevent theft. However, addicts took advantage of these weakened sections, cutting and removing iron grills during the night. Large portions of the grill vanished from the concrete wall.

In response, Mazar-e-Quaid security teams initiated an investigation, leading to the identification of the grill-stealing group. Investigations revealed that the stolen iron grills were sold to scrap dealers in the Lines Area. Subsequent raids on these shops were conducted and eight iron grills were recovered.

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Sources said that these thefts were carried out skilfully during the night hours, with regular reconnaissance by the perpetrators. These drug addicts also targeted other valuable iron materials from various government buildings across the city.

An organised network of scrap dealers facilitates the disposal of heavy iron, with drug addicts serving as their field force. It is crucial to bring these scrap shops, situated all over the city, under regulatory oversight, as they do not provide receipts while selling valuable items to avoid accountability.

Resident Engineer Aleem Sheikh from the Mazar-e-Quaid Management Board confirmed the recovery of all stolen grills. Three separate cases have been filed against individuals involved in buying and selling stolen goods.

Sheikh affirmed the regular presence of trained security personnel for Mazar-e-Quaid's protection and its connected land. Additionally, plans are underway to construct a new protective wall at Jinnah Ground, featuring a taller iron and cement boundary in the style of Mazar-e-Quaid.

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