Murad Ali Shah, commencing his third term as Sindh Chief Minister, launched a proactive approach to tackle crime, focusing on enhancing law enforcement and development initiatives.
In a meeting addressing law and order concerns, he directed the police to intensify efforts in 22 high-crime police stations, particularly targeting street crime hotspots.
Emphasizing police presence, he aimed to double the personnel across 108 police stations, addressing the surge in street crimes like robberies and vehicle thefts.
The CM said that Karachi has a strength of 48000 policemen but only 12,000 policemen have been deployed at 108 police stations which showed that each police station had 112 police men on average.
Shah directed the IG Police to rationalize the police force deployed in other units and raise the strength of police stations from 12000 to 24,000.
Acknowledging challenges in riverine areas, Shah called for a targeted operation against dacoits and drug mafias in Larkana and Sukkur divisions. He urged a concerted effort to control kidnapping for ransom and curb criminal influence. In collaboration with law enforcement officials, including the Inspector General of Police (IG), efforts were directed towards enhancing police visibility, with special focus on evening patrols to deter street crimes.
Addressing manpower shortages, Murad Ali Shah emphasized recruitment on merit to fill vacant police positions. He stressed the need for specialized training for traffic police to manage congestion effectively amid ongoing development projects. Additionally, stringent measures were proposed to regulate the use of strobe lights on vehicles, ensuring law enforcement exclusivity.
Concerning security in riverine areas, plans for a joint operation with neighboring provinces were discussed to counter cross-border criminal activities. Shah emphasized the revival of defunct police stations in vulnerable areas and announced plans for a comprehensive crackdown.
Stringent regulations were imposed on the public display of arms, with directives to strengthen the investigation process to prevent criminals from evading justice. Initiatives such as the Karachi Safe City project were expedited to bolster surveillance capabilities and ensure public safety.
Development funds
Chief Minister of Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah has directed the Finance and Planning & Development Board (P&D) to release the remaining funds of Rs397.4 billion to enable the timely completion of ongoing and new development projects, for the greater benefit of the public.
Read Murad Ali Shah sworn in as CM for third time
He issued these instructions while presiding over a meeting to review the financial position of the province and development expenditures.
Visit to mazaars
CM Shah paid visits to the mausoleum of Quaid-e-Azam Muhamamd Ali Jinnah, the graves of the Bhutto family in Larkana and Shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar in Sehwan at the onset of his third tenure.
Talking to the media at Quaid's Mazaar Shah said he would form his cabinet in consultation with PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and PPPP President Asif Ali Zardari.
He was accompanied by Speaker Sindh Assembly Awais Qadir Shah, Deputy Speaker Naveed Anthony, MPAs Saeed Ghani, Mukesh Chawla, Sadia Javed and various others.
To another question, Shah said that he has to implement the 10-point election manifesto of Chairman Bilawal for which he was activating all the concerned departments of his government.
Earlier, Murad Ali Shah flew to Larkana where he paid respect to his shaheed leaders, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto by laying floral wreaths and offering dua at their mazars at Garhi Khuda Bux. The CM also offered fateha at the Mazars of Begum Nusrat Bhutto, Shaheed Murtaza Bhutto and Shaheed Shahnawaz Bhutto.
Shah flew to Sehwan from Larkana where he visited his ancestral graveyard and offered fateha at the mazaars of his parents and the shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar.
Talking to the media at the shrine of Qalandar, he said the people are being burdened with incessant inflation. He reiterated his party's demand to abolish 13 federal ministries which are eating up around Rs300 billion from the taxpayers' money.
Earlier, the Commissioner Hyderabad Khalid Hyder Shah and DIG Tariq Razzak Dharejo briefed the CM about the security and other arrangements made for the three-day urs celebrations of Qalandar which will formally commence from February 29.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 29th, 2024.
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