Sindh Minister for Home, Mines & Minerals, Agriculture, Prices & Supply, Sohail Anwer Siyal has said that the Federal Government, while initiating Karachi Operation in 2013, committed to bear 50 percent of the expenditure on this crucial operation but unfortunately, not a single penny was provided and the entire expenditure was solely borne by Sindh government from its own financial resources. Exchanging views during his visit to the Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry on Wednesday, Home Minister admitted that it was not an ideal situation in Karachi in terms of law and order situation but as compared to what the situation had been before 2007 and 2013, the overall law and order situation has substantially improved now when we are about to enter 2018.
Home Secretary Sindh, Qazi Shahid Pervez, Additional IG Sindh Police Mushtaq Maher, President KCCI Muffasar Atta Malik, Senior Vice President KCCI Abdul Basit Abdul Razzak, Vice President KCCI Rehan Hanif, Deputy Chairman of KCCI’s Law & Order Sub-Committee Maj. (Retd) Munir Ahmed, KCCI Managing Committee members and large number of businessmen were present at the meeting.
Sohail Siyal said that the improvement in law and order situation can be gauged from the descending CPLC figures which when compared with the figures prior to 2007 and 2013, will reveal that the graphs of the incidents pertaining to target killing, terrorism, kidnapping for ransom, extortion, robberies and other heinous crimes have descended sharply. “But, we haven’t achieved what we desired to achieve. It is the will of PPP leadership, Sindh Government, Heads of Law Enforcing Agencies, Police, Rangers and the Army to restore complete peace and tranquility not only in Karachi city but also in all other parts of Sindh”, he added.
Referring to visit of leader of Dawoodi Bohra Community and the forthcoming visit of Prince Karim Aga Khan to Karachi, he said that the visits of high-powered dignitaries was a testimony of improved security situation in Karachi which is now in a much better shape.
He was of the view that it was very essential that the business community, which is the backbone of country’s economy, operates in a secure and peaceful atmosphere as any problem suffered by the business community, will have a deep impact on the overall economic performance of the country which was the basic reason why Sindh Government takes up and resolves business community’s issues on priority basis.
In response to concerns expressed by President KCCI over rising street crimes, Sohail Siyal that all Law Enforcing Agencies have focused on major crimes including terrorism, target killings, extortion and kidnapping etc. under Karachi Operation but now they will pay special attention to deal with rising street crimes in order to bring down its graph as well.
He informed that during the past three years, a total of 6,000 police officers have been recruited along with 3,000 Traffic Police Officers, of which many traffic police officers, upon completion of their training, have already been deployed at some of the busiest roads to handle the traffic flow situation which will improve further when all the remaining traffic police officers will also complete their training and start discharging their duties at different localities in Karachi. A total of 700 police mobiles have been provided to different police stations of the city and the 15 Helpline service has been outsourced to a third party in order to improve its efficiency, he added.
Referring to President KCCI’s suggestion pertaining to equipping the police department in order to efficiently control law and order situation, the Home Minister informed that only 3,000 pistols and 27,000 SMGs were available with the police department hence, the Home Department purchased an additional 10,000 pistols and 30,000 SMGs which have been provided to the police department so that they could promptly and efficiently deal with criminals in every nook and corner of Sindh province.
He assured to make all out efforts to maintain and further improve the law and order situation of Karachi city, besides extending full support and cooperation to the business and industrial community of Karachi Chamber. In response to President KCCI’s suggestion, the Minister said that although a ban was in place for issuance of arms licenses but Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah will be asked to give permission for issuing licenses to those members of Karachi Chamber who are being recommended by KCCI.
Earlier, President KCCI Muffasar Atta Malik, in his remarks, expressed deep concern over rising street crimes in all areas of Karachi where citizens were fearlessly being looted and deprived of cash, mobiles phones and other valuables even in broad day light. “The rising street crimes have triggered anxiety amongst the business and industrial community which has to be tackled strictly by Sindh Government and Law Enforcing Agencies on top priority basis”, he added.
He also underscored the need to equip and train the police officers and make them capable enough to efficiently and promptly deal with different types of crimes. Strategies should be devised to improve the policing system in Karachi and bring it at par with the policing system in different cities around the world.
Muffasar Malik said that frequent traffic jams on almost all the streets of Karachi have terribly impacted the lives of all the citizens and also affected the economic performance of this city. Effective plan of action has to be devised on priority basis by Sindh government in order to provide relief to the perturbed citizens of Karachi who continue to suffer for hours and even get looted during these traffic jams.
He also requested the Home Minister Sindh to lift ban on issuance of arms licenses which remains in place from quite some time now. “However, if it is not possible to completely lift this ban, Sindh government should at least consider KCCI’s requests and start granting licenses to those KCCI members who are formally being recommended by the Chamber”, he added. He said that the Karachi Chamber will extend full support and cooperation to Sindh Government in all its efforts to maintain peace and stability in Karachi city on sustainable basis
CAPTION;-
President Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry Muffasar Atta Malik presenting crest to Sindh Minister for Home, Mines & Minerals, Agriculture, Prices & Supply, Sohail Anwer Siyal during his visit to KCCI on Wednesday. Senior Vice President KCCI Abdul Basir Abdul Razzak, Vice President Rehan Hanif and others are also seen in the picture.