• Provincial govt directed to set up police pickets on right bank of Indus
• Interior minister told to ensure efficient tri-border management
• Crackdown on markets of stolen, snatched phones, vehicles ordered
• Karachi’s crime index ranking dropped from sixth to 82, says chief minister

KARACHI: President Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday directed the Sindh government to launch a result-oriented operation against street criminals in the financial capital and against dacoits in the riverine belt by setting up police pickets on the right bank of the River Indus to cover katcha areas of Shikarpur and Kashmore districts, in close coordination with other provinces.

President Zardari direc­ted the interior minister to develop an effective coordination among the Balochistan, Sindh, and Punjab administrations for tri-border management.

The president was earlier briefed at a special meeting on law and order in Sindh that 48 cases of street crime claimed 49 lives in Karachi, as crime against property had increased despite a slight drop in crime against persons so far this year. Also, Mr Zardari was informed that 17 policemen embraced martyrdom and 27 sustained injuries in the operation against dacoits during the past four months. He was informed that 63 dacoits were killed, 120 others injured, 418 arrested and 469 weapons recovered in the crackdown.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan convener and Education Minister Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, some provincial cabinet members, the chief secretary and the heads of Pakistan Rangers and Sindh Police among others attended the meeting, held at CM House.

The president directed Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah to launch a special operation to control street crime. “The operation must deliver results so that confidence of citizens could be bolstered,” he said.

He also asked the chief minister to order action against the markets where stolen or snatched mobile phones and parts of vehicles were sold. “Why are the police not launching operation against the markets and people involved in the business of stolen/snatched vehicles and mobile sets?” the president questioned, and directed the CM to report to him progress in this regard.

When CM Shah attempted to assert that the general law and order situation had improved as Karachi’s ranking in the world crime index dropped from sixth position in 2014 to 82 in 2024, President Zardari apparently not convinced with the security situation said Karachi had a “high crime rate without any tangible reasons”.

He also instructed the chief minister to ensure that foreign nationals living and working in the province were provided with fool-proof security, emphasising the need to particularly look after the Chinese nationals working on CPEC-related projects.

Besides, he asked the chief minister to provide a posting tenure to police officers, monitor their performance, and remove them when they fail to deliver, according to a press statement issued by CM House. He categorically said: “I have zero tolerance for the illegal occupation of lands, and it must be stopped once and for all.”

Street crime

At the briefing, the president was apprised that 5,357 crimes against persons were reported during the first four months of the year while 5,259 cases were reported during the corresponding period of 2023, showing a decrease of 172 cases. On the other hand, the number of cases of crime against property increased from 9,782 in 2023 to 10,757 this year.

In reply to a question, the president was told that out of the 48 street crime cases which claimed 49 lives, 27 cases had been detected with the arrest of 43 suspects and killing of 13 others in encounters.

Katcha area

Since February 2023, a total of 107 police pickets had been established along the left bank of the River Indus, the president was informed.

He directed the provincial government to set up police pickets on the right bank of the river to cover the katcha area of Shikarpur and Kashmore districts.

In reply to a query, President Zardari was informed 123 persons were kidnapped from January to April, though only 76 of them were reported. During the same period, police recovered 104 of them and 19 cases remained unsolved.

President Zardari directed the CM to intensify the ongoing operation against dacoits and emphasised that anyone involved in or behind the kidnapping cases must be dealt with severely to set an example for others. “Kidnapping for ransom is a serious crime and it must be dealt with accordingly,” he asserted.

He also directed the CM to start development works along both sides of the River Indus, particularly in the area of Rounti to Gemro and Guddu to Garhi Tegho.

Mr Zardari directed the chief minister to engage notables to resolve tribal feuds in the katcha areas so that its social aspect could also be covered.

Additionally, the president directed the provincial government to take necessary measures to prevent drug penetration in educational institutions. He directed the provincial government to launch an awareness campaign for parents and teachers, highlighting the need to protect children from this menace.

Published in Dawn, May 2nd, 2024