HYDERABAD, Aug 11: The high police hierarchy of Hyderabad appears to be interested in everything but policing the crime-infested city which has lately seen a surge in robberies in markets and trade centres in broad daylight and politically motivated murders.

Even though the city’s top law enforcers, the SSP and the DIG, have received training at the Police Services of Pakistan — which is known for producing highly trained and principled officials — Hyderabad has so far failed to feel their worth and mettle.

An in-depth investigation by Dawn reveals that illegal businesses like sale of

Iranian smuggled petrol and diesel, gambling dens including bookies business and prostitution continue to flourish under the very nose of police.

The Hyderabad police have gone a step or two ahead of the country’s police by setting a new precedent of arranging ransom money from its own resources to get a hostage released.

“We pooled money for ransom and paid it to our officers so that the hostage, Azam Shaikh, a university student from Bhitai Nagar, can be got released. I didn’t see such kind of policing in my entire life,” said an officer who wished not to be named.

In another similar case, police sold off a gangster’s car and purchased gold from its proceeds which was handed over to victims of a robbery as a face-saving exercise.

Inquiries reveal police also sold off an unregistered bungalow owned by the same gangster near the driving licence branch to repay looted money and jewellery to robbery victims. “CIC people didn’t hand over the actually recovered looted jewellery and gold to dacoity victims; rather they offered them a few thousand rupees to purchase gold on their own which the victims refused,” a source added.

A senior police officer admitted off-the-record: “We did pay ransom to save a human life but not before making it clear to bandits that we’ll soon get it back.”

Over the past few weeks, the frustrated traders and members of the business community have periodically taken to the streets after shutting down markets to vent anger over police failure to rein in robbers who, they said, had deprived them of millions of rupees so far.

Incidents of mobile and motorbike snatching are also on the rise. According to police officers’ own estimates, one bike is being snatched every second day and most of the cases go unreported.

The present state of affairs has much to do with political meddling in appointment of police officials. Policemen curry favour with the city’s major political players, Muttahida Qaumi Movement and Pakistan Peoples Party, to get postings of their choice.

The district police boss bows to their demands to avoid controversies and posts officers according to their wishes.

The situation has reached such a sorry stage that even ruling party’s MNA, Syed Ameer Ali Shah Jamote, had to write to the chief minister on July 16, seeking his intervention for bringing peace to the city.

SHOs of different police stations had to pay for ‘ration of policemen for May 11 polls duties’ despite the fact the government releases budget for this purpose. “I paid Rs100,000 under this head,” said a sub-inspector.

Policemen tend to vie for police stations where illegal businesses flourish. In lieu of posting, they say, they are required to pay hefty amount to ‘beaters’ who work at level of DIG and SSP offices and collect their share in the booty. The staff of the Crime Investigation Cell (CIC), Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) and Anti-Violent Crime Cell (AVCC) also get their share of the booty from the gangs running illegal businesses.

According to police officers who have been part of the businesses, police give ‘mokkal’, a Sindhi word for permission, to run such illegal trades.

For instance, in Tando Mir Mehmood (old power house) which gained notoriety for prostitution, narcotics and gambling dens over the past few years, the den operators had ‘mokkal’ to run the businesses in return for a few million rupees to be paid at different levels in police department every week.

As other businesses carry on unperturbed, the gambling den which remained temporarily closed for a brief period for fear of raids by TV channels has now been shifted to Hali Road police station area (known for influence of a notorious drug baron) and amount of ‘mokkal’ has been reduced by police. “It was closed because we are afraid of surprise visits of TV channels,” said an officer.

Almost all police stations patronise illegal businesses but police stations of Market, Pinyari and Hali Road have earned too much notoriety in this respect. “All these dens were closed when officers like Dr Najaf Kuli Mirza, A.D. Khawaja and Ghulam Nabi Memon headed police,” he said.

Sale of Iranian smuggled petrol and diesel has flourished over the years under police patronage. The man who runs it enjoys full support of senior police officers like DIGs and SSPs as the oil tankers have to pass through different districts. Customs officials are equally hand in glove with police in this business.

A source claims that CIC, now headed by Javed Abro, who was brought in from upper Sindh by the present SSP ensures ‘route clearance and security’ of vehicles carrying Iranian fuel.

Inquiries revealed that CIC staff arrested an alleged criminal, Javed Sheikh, in a case of a heinous crime from Karachi. Acquaintances of the accused including a PPP leader and former nazim of union council Manthar Ali Jatoi approached Javed Abro for his release. “I along with PPP Youth Wing Hyderabad division president Ahsan Abro requested him for his release. He demanded Rs600,000. Finally we settled for Rs300,000 and I paid it,

still he challaned him in a robbery case,” Jatoi told Dawn.

Ahsan Abro endorses his claims. Jatoi said that if he was a criminal then why did Abro extorted money from them.

Hyderabad offers an ideal place for bookies business. They set up their dens in posh localities of Qasimabad and Cantonment and continue to run the business until area people start objecting. “Obviously then bookies shift it to a new location,” said a former SHO.

“Political influence,” said a police source, “has undermined performance.” It has robbed even honest police officers who used to go after robbers and kidnappers of the will to work.

“When postings are made under political influence why should they work and risk lives? The SHOs use ‘recoveries’ to fill coffers of their seniors,” said an officer.

Sale of contraband stuff like mainpuri and gutka flourish within the jurisdiction of almost all police stations thanks to blessings of police.

Even a lower cadre policeman (a cook) has been selling it from the premises of his official residence in Cantonment area.

Local low-level leaders of political parties and activists also patronise drug peddlers.

Hyderabad SSP Saqib Ismail Memon blamed ‘ineffective police strength’ for the rising crime. “I have only recently withdrawn 138 policemen from different offices for operational duties,” he said.

He admitted cases of armed robberies had surged but defended CIC. “It is working well and there is no documented proof of its wrongdoing or corruption,” he said.

He said that the Tando Mir Mehmood gambling den had been closed and action was regularly taken against mainpuri peddlers and manufacturers.