Police to get drones, APCs for katcha ops: CM

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that his government has implemented a slew of measures, including intelligence sharing and coordinated operations with law enforcement agencies, to combat terrorism and extremism in the province.

"Community engagement and outreach programs have been initiated to prevent radicalisation and promote peace and harmony," CM Shah said while addressing participants of the National and Security & War Course-25, including 240 officers of armed forces, civil servants and military officers from 24 friendly countries led by Chief Instructor Major General Mohammad Akhtar.

Provincial Ministers Sharjeel Inam Memon, Sardar Shah, Nasir Shah Saeed Ghani, Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah, Home Secretary Iqbal Memon, Chairman P&D Najma Shah, IG Police Ghulam Nabi Memon, Secretary to CM Raheem Shaikh and other provincial secretaries also attended the program.

The chief minister stated that the provincial government has implemented various initiatives to strengthen the police force.

These include training programs and infrastructure development. He referred to specific initiatives such as the upgrading of the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) and Special Branch, as well as the launch of the Karachi Safe City Project. Moreover, he spoke about the Sindh Smart Surveillance System (S4) project, which involves the installation of ANPR and facial recognition cameras at 40 toll plazas in Sindh.

CM Shah revealed that the investigation cost has been increased, and police stations have been allocated a direct budget of Rs4.8 billion. Similarly, the police force has been provided with health insurance amounting to Rs4.961 billion.

The chief minister further stated thar he has enhanced the Shaheed Package, raising it from Rs10 million to Rs23 million, which includes salary until retirement and job opportunities for family members.

The Sindh government has taken steps to address challenges in the Katcha area, focusing on infrastructure development and social services provision, CM Shah added.

He said that resources have been allocated to the Sindh Police to acquire modern technology to combat challenges in the Katcha area, such as drones, APCs, and 12.7 guns. Efforts are being made to construct roads and bridges to improve mobility, which is crucial for effective policing, he added.