Sindh security: Zardari wants legislation on witness protection, sale of SIMs

Zardari urges improving law and order situation in city. Calls on all political groups, officials to play due role.

KARACHI: Following the Supreme Court's order President Asif Ali Zardari has directed the Sindh government to work on a legislation that guarantees better protection for witnesses in addition to asking them draft a policy to halt the sale of mobile SIMs at retail outlets.

Presiding over a law and order meeting at Sindh Chief Minister House on Thursday, Zardari was given a briefing on the law and order situation of the city by Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, who also holds the home ministry portfolio. Interior Minister Rehman Malik also gave an overview of the security situation.

Observing that one of the major hindrances in effective prosecution was witnesses backing out due to pressure from the accused parties, the president advised Sindh’s Law Minister to draft a suitable legislation for the protection of the witnesses and their families after consulting all stakeholders.

He advised the government to study the model of witness protection laws adopted in other countries in wake of rising militant activities for this purpose. Earlier, the president was briefed about how notorious criminals were being released owing to lack of evidence against. This, as was was explained to the president, was because witnesses afraid of reprisals declined to come forward and record statements.

Among others who attended the meeting included acting Governor Sindh Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Federal Interior Minister A. Rehman Malik, provincial ministers, IG Police, DG Rangers, Secretary General to the President and senior federal and provincial officials.

Zardari emphasised that the maintenance of law and order was a shared responsibility of all the political forces in the province and concerted efforts should be made by all concerned for ensuring peace in the metropolitan city.

Mobile phone SIMs

Taking note of the use of mobile phones by militants and criminals in terrorism and other related activities, Zardari asked the Sindh government to work out a plan so that no Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) are delivered at retail shops or outlets of mobile companies, instead, they should are posted to the applicant’s address as mentioned on their Computerised National Identity Cards (CNIC).

He directed the interior minister to frame draft a national policy in this regard for the Cabinet’s approval.

 Arms licence

Taking notice of the proliferation of the weapons in Karachi, Zardari observed that arms licenses should be “Smart Card” based so as to ensure that no fictitious licenses were issued.

Sindh Medical University

Besides law and order, President Zardari chaired three other meetings here at Chief Minister House Karachi reviewing establishment of state-of-the-art Kidney & liver Centre in Islamabad.

Zardari called for increasing the number of merit-based seats in the Sindh Medical University. He further called for increasing seats reserved for students applying from rural Sindh.

Earlier in the day, Zardari laid the foundation stone of a housing society for the Civil Service Academy Alumni Sindh Chapter.

The President expressed the hope that the university would continue to undertake every effort to achieve prominence as a leading medical research and teaching university of the country and to producing quality healthcare practitioners imbued with the spirit to serve the humanity.

The President also called upon the provincial government to resolve legislative issues of the SMU.