SUKKUR, Jan 9: Additional Inspector General of Police, Sindh, Niaz Ahmed Siddiqi has said that several RAW agents have been arrested, and an attempt to blew up a railway station at Tando Adam had been foiled.

He said that efforts are being made to provide security to the masses.

He was addressing a press conference here on Wednesday. DIG Syed Mushtaq Ahmed Shah and senior police officials were also present on the occasion.

He said that although the police would work under the Nazims, but transfers, postings and promotions would not come under the local government’s domain.

He vowed that the police would be made a model force, and answerable to the people under the devolution of power system.

He also produced a list of criminals and outlaws who had been arrested by Sukkur and Larkana police from Nov 26 to Dec 31, 2001. He also said that 11 dacoits have also been arrested.

He said that number of check posts along the highway and Katcha have also been increased.

He said that recruitment in the Katcha area police stations would be made from the residents of Katcha, and hoped that would help curb crime rate in the area.

The police officer said that every Katcha police station would be allotted 64 acres of land for cultivation, and its income would be used to meet their expenses.

He said that the president had approved a package of Rs 450 million, which had been held up for the last six years. He said that a grant of Rs 20 million has also been approved by the government.

He said that around 100 lady police ASIs would be recruited at various districts.

The AIG said that police reforms, which would be effective from Feb 2002, would largely help in building the police image in the eyes of public. He said reporting, investigating and prosecution had been separated and three additional IGs would be sitting at Karachi, Sukkur and Hyderabad.

He said that around 5000 illegal weapons had been seized and soon they would be destroyed in Karachi.

He said a proposal is under consideration for creating a force at the borders of Sindh, Balochistan and Punjab for checking infiltration of outlaws, as well as their escape.