KARACHI, March 4: The Sindh government has decided to take action against banned organisations operating under new names in the province.

A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting held at the Chief Minister’s House on Monday to review the overall law and order situation in the context of the Abbas Town tragedy.

The meeting was jointly presided over by Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah and Interior Minister Rehman Malik.

They ordered the law-enforcement agencies to start snap checking at various places, including shopping centres, trade and business spots.

They also said that wanted persons belonging to banned outfits should be dealt with under the law.

Participants of the meeting observed that terrorists wanted to disturb the peace of Karachi and create a situation of uncertainty and havoc.

The law-enforcment agencies were told to take a prompt action against terrorists and keep a watchful eye on all entry points as well as inter-provincial borders.

The meeting decided to impose a ban on pillion-riding in the city. However, women, children, elderly men and journalists would be exempted from the ban.

The police were told to take action against land grabbers and vacate state land from their illegal occupation.

Some 1,716 madressahs with more than 20,000 students were operating in Karachi alone, and the CM asked the authorities concerned to have a meeting with the administrator of the Wifaq-ul-Madaris.

Rangers Director-General Maj-Gen Rizwan Akhtar, Sindh police chief Fayyaz Leghari, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Waseem Ahmad and others were also present.

Meanwhile, the CM also chaired a meeting late on Sunday night to take stock of the situation following the Abbas Town blast.

He formed a six-member committee to probe the terror attack that claimed the lives of over 45 persons.

The committee, headed by Additional IG Ghulam Shabbir Shaikh, has been tasked to submit its report within three days.

The meeting decided to pay compensation to the heirs of the dead and wounded besides extending financial support for rebuilding the destroyed flats and shops.

Speaking on the occasion, the CM said that President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf took serious notice of the bomb blast and directed him to take immediate action against those involved in the killing of innocent people.

He directed the police, Rangers and other law-enforcement agencies to crush terrorists, adding that those involved in the incident should be nabbed at the earliest.

The CM said that the government was making every effort to restore peace and protect life and property of the people.

He said that the law-enforcement agencies had to improve their performance and increase patrolling in residential and business centres, as the criminals could only be nabbed under a well-planned strategy.