Industrial areas have 90 days to become crime free

Governor tells business community to set up control rooms in industrial areas.

KARACHI:

Governor Dr Ishrat ul Ebad Khan has asked law enforcers to draw up a plan of action to purge the city’s industrial areas of crime within 90 days.

On Saturday, the Governor met prominent members of the business community at Governor House. He told them that apart from an extensive intelligence network, law enforcers should make use of new technology to apprehend criminals and thwart them. He lauded the community police’s efforts to curb extortion in old city areas and said a similar security plan would be followed for other sensitive spots, including bazaars and markets.

Dr Ebad also urged the business community to set up control rooms in industrial areas which could coordinate with the Citizens-Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) and Governor House during emergencies. “I assure you [the business community], the government will financially support you if emergency rooms are set up in different industrial areas,” he said.

CPLC chief Ahmed Chinoy, who attended the meeting, told the media that that 500 community police personnel are working with the business community to control extortion in old city areas. He said that police have set up barriers and enhanced snap checking in sensitive places to protect traders. “We will move to other areas if this plan proves to be effective.”



Health and safety concerns

Representatives of SITE Association of Iindustry, led by Siraj Qasim Teli, told the governor that the area lacked basic amenities: roads are dilapidated and water as well as sanitation schemes have been abandoned. Dr Ebad formed a committee, headed by Karachi’s commissioner, Hashim Raza Zaidi, to visit the area and work out a solution.

Dr Ebad also asked the commissioner to conduct a comprehensive survey of industrial areas and review health and safety measures adopted in factories. “All industries and factories have to make sure they follow health and safety rules, otherwise the government will take legal action against them.”

He added that industrial areas should be equipped with all facilities to cope with fire and other emergencies.

The governor assured SITE association’s representatives that the government will provide them with one snorkel and a fire tender to deal with fire.

Zubair Motiwala, the adviser to the Chief Minister on investment, and Dr Arshad Vohra, the chairperson of SITE Association of Industry, were among those who attended the meeting.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 25^th, 2012.