KARACHI: The Sindh Public Safety and Police Complaints Commission on Saturday approved the annual policing plan submitted by Inspector General of Police Dr Syed Kaleem Imam and it would be tabled before the provincial cabinet for final approval.

The meeting was chaired by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and attended by all permanent members — MPAs Sharjeel Memon, Imdad Pitafi and Shamim Mumtaz of the Pakistan Peoples Party; Mohammad Ali Aziz of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf; Hasnain Mirza of the Grand Democratic Alliance; independent members Karamat Ali, Nazim Haji, Barrister Haya Imam, Rubina Brohi, Advocate Jhamat Mal and Qurban Malano.

Chief Secretary Mumtaz Shah, Home Secretary Usman Chachar and Inspector General of Police Dr Syed Kaleem Imam were invited to the meeting when their relevant matters came under discussion.

The IGP once again presented a police plan in which he had incorporated the suggestions given by the commission members.

The chief minister said the cabinet was authorised to approve the plan, thus, he directed secretary of the commission to submit it through the home secretary for discussion in the next meeting of the cabinet.

A commission member asked the IGP to present details of his visits and tours he had made out of the city. The chief minister intervened and said the commission was not authorised to question the visits of the IGP.

Probes against 23 serving, retired police officers

The IGP presented a list of 23 police officers against whom inquiries or disciplinary actions had been recommended last year.

The officers included then Additional IG-Hyderabad Ghulam Sarwar Jamali (now retired), AIG-Crime Branch Pervaiz Khan Umrani, former SSP-East Azfar Mahesar, RPO-Sukkur Zulfikar Shah (now retired), DPO-Sukkur Aitezaz Goraya, SSP-Mirpurkhas Javed Baloch, SP-Traffic Aijaz Hashmi, SP-Gulshan Tahir Noorani, SSP-Malir Kamran Rashid, SSP-Malir Rao Anwar Khan (now retired), Sarwar Abro, SP (Investigation-I South) Khalid Korai, SP-Traffic Nisar Channa, DIG Sindh Reserve Police Farooq Azam, SP-CTD Yakoob Almani, SP-Umerkot Aijaz Shaikh, SP (Investigation CTD) Ghulam Murtaza, Altaf Leghari, SDPO-Saudabad Faheem Farooqui, DSP (Intelligence Landhi) Nayyar-ul-Haq, SDPO-SITE Hyderabad Dost Mohammad Mangrio and DSP-Surjani Zahid Hussain.

In his written report, the IGP said a report vis-à-vis misconduct and statement of allegations had been filed with the chief secretary (CS) through the home department.

The chief minister directed the CS to submit a report to him showing what action had been taken against those officers.

Citizens’ complaints against police

A complaint against SP Noorani filed by journalist Shakeel Naich came under discussion. The IGP said an inquiry against the SP was assigned to DIG Javed Akbar Riaz. The commission said it would wait till the receipt of the inquiry report.

The chief minister said the Malir Bar Association had also filed a complaint against SP Noorani. The IGP said Mr Noorani was awaiting posting while it emerged that he was posted in Malir. The CM sought a report from the home secretary.

In another complaint, citizen Nadeem Ahmed said the Kharadar police had registered a ‘false and fabricated’ FIR against him, requesting the commission for its disposal in B-Class. The IGP said SDPO-Kharadar had requested him for referring the complaint to SP-Investigation-II South. The report of the SP was awaited.

Another complaint of Malik Altaf Hussain on behalf of retired Major Hamid Hussain was received saying he was at his land at Deh Jam Chakro, Manghopir, when armed men intruded and opened fire. He requested for protection and to be allowed to work at his land peacefully. The IGP’s report said the case had been registered and charge-sheeted in the court of law as DIG-West was directed to adopt security measures as requested by the complainant.

The complaint of Asif Maher said Ex-SSP Niaz Khoso was exerting pressure on him to usurp his precious land at Sukkur. The IGP said an inquiry had been ordered.

CM Shah also approved a scheme to renovate office of the Commission at the Sindh Secretariat barracks where it could house itself to work smoothly.

The commission constituted a five-member committee to go through the rules and regulations of the commission, its powers and their implementation. The committee would submit its report within 30 days.

It was pointed out that Karachi was earlier ranked 97th in a crime index and now it had improved to sixth position.

“The credit goes to the commitment of the government, Sindh police and people of Karachi who extended full support and cooperation in the targeted operations launched from time to time,” Mr Shah said.

First meeting of ease of doing business body

CM Shah presided over the first-ever meeting of the Ease of Doing Business Reforms Council at the CM House.

He directed the Board of Revenue (BoR) to reduce registration and transfer of property period from 149 days to six days by empowering investors/people to apply online.

“I am fed up with sub-registrar offices so either correct them or pack them up. I’ll hand over the registration work to private sector,” he said.

The meeting was attended by leading businesspersons, including World Bank representative Amjad Bashir, Hubco CEO Khalid Mansoor, Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) President Mian Amjad Nisar, Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) President Agha Shuhab Ahmed, OICCI President Shahzad Dada, Association of Builders and Developers president, Sindh Healthcare Commission CEO Dr Minhaj Kidwai, Amreli Steel chairman, Gul Ahmed chairman Mohammad Bashir and Pakistan Software House Association chairperson Jehan Ara.

The chief minister was assisted by Chief Secretary Mumtaz Shah, planning and development chairman Mohammed Waseem and principal secretary to CM Sajid Abro.

Mr Shah especially called the heads of other agencies including K-Electric chief Syed Monis Abdullah, Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) chief Asadullah Khan, Sindh Environmental Protection Agency (Sepa), Sindh Food Authority, representative of Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA), Sindh Employees Social Security Institution (SESSI), Karachi commissioner and others.

He said the purpose of inviting leading businessmen and heads of their organisations was to get their input to get the business environment improved.

“I have to bring a lot of investment in Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Larkana, Mirpurkhas and Thatta regions,” he said, adding, “Therefore, I’ll take drastic measures to facilitate investors.”

The Senior Member Board of Revenue (SMBR) admitted that registration of property and its transfer took at least 149 days to six months, therefore, an online application would be launched where people would be able to apply for registration and the system would automatically generate transfer or registration.

The chief minister directed him to make it from six months to six days, adding that the launch of the online application facility would be made by the end of February.

Mr Shah asked the SMBR to outsource BoR’s call centre which had failed to redress public complaints. “We need efficient system and manpower, otherwise I would ask them to pack up.”

The investment secretary gave a detailed briefing on issues of the problems, red-tape, lethargy and inefficiency of the government system.

The chief minister took a decision that the SMBR would launch an online application and appoint two sub-registrars on special duty, who would expedite the registration, transfer and mutation cases which lingered on by the sub-registrar concerned for more than three days.

It was also decided that the e-stamping system would be launched at the earliest by amending the law in the assembly.

Mr Shah said over 200 multinational companies were working in Karachi and he wanted to provide them more facilities so that their business could thrive.

He added the SBCA had established a single-window facility to all categories of buildings, directing the KWSB and Sepa to establish an inter-agency arrangement.

It was pointed out that the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, Karachi Development Authority and Malir Development Authority were using an official portal and the chief secretary was directed to ask the Lyari Development Authority to sign up the portal latest by June 30.

Call to outsource buildings’ inspection to Abad

A proposal was given by the industrialists to outsource inspection of under-construction buildings under the SBCA regulation.

They suggested handing over the inspection work to Abad. The investment secretary said the Lahore Development Authority had introduced inspection of under-construction buildings through a private party. The chief minister promised to consider the proposal favourably.

It was also decided to establish dedicated and automated commercial courts/benches at the Karachi District Courts for fast-track settlement of business disputes valuing up to Rs2 million by amending the code of civil procedure 1908.

The chief minister issued directives to the law department to provide a roadmap within 30 days.

The investment secretary told the meeting that SESSI had established a Collection and Benefits Portal by accepting Over the Counter (OTC) payment.

The SESSI had completed initial data of 18,000 enterprises. Active logins were at 6,644. The chief minister directed the SESSI commissioner to ensure all logins were active within a month.

It was pointed out by investment department that the right of way permission for local governments for new connections had a lengthy procedure.

The chief minister directed the LG secretary to introduce quick turnaround time for such permissions. Mr Shah also directed the energy secretary to automate wiring certificates and it must be done within a month.

The chief minister also directed the chief secretary to personally monitor simplification of trade licences. Those licences must be issued within 15 days. It was decided to convert low-risk trade licences into notifications without fee.

It must be consolidated so that one licence could operate across Sindh, he said, ordering online application, renewal and payment of licence fee should be totally automated.

The meeting agreed the council would meet every month to get all outstanding issues resolved.

Published in Dawn, February 9th, 2020