KARACHI: Ibad orders community policing to curb terrorism
KARACHI, Nov 17: Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan has ordered introduction of community policing system in all the 18 towns of Karachi to curb terrorism and criminals with the help of the general public.
Simultaneously compilation of official data about security guards employed by private agencies and certification of their credentials from the home department was decided by him at a high-level meeting chaired by him at the Governor’s House here on Thursday night.
The meeting, attended by Home Minister Rauf Siddiqi, Information Adviser Salahuddin Haider, Chief Secretary Fazulur Rehman, Principal Secretary to Governor Saleem Khan, Home Secretary Ghulam Mohammad Mohtaram, IG Sindh, Asad Jahangir, CCPO Niaz Siddiqui and officials of different security agencies, expressed satisfaction over the post-blast operation at PIDC House on Nov 15.
The participants agreed that all government agencies had quickly mobilised themselves. As a result, events happening in front of PACC and Hotel Avari Towers last year were effectively averted.
Agreeing with the IGP that police had to involve the public in maintenance of peace, and keeping an eye on suspected characters in their respective localities, the governor called for immediate introduction of community policing system throughout Karachi.
Committees of prominent persons in different areas be formed to coordinate with the police about criminals, terrorists etc.
The meeting noted that security guards were hired purely on the basis of their ability to fire weapons. Vital details about their background etc were missing.
It was, therefore, decided that production of certificate of their credentials from the home department will be compulsory at the time of their appointment in private agencies.
Security guards, posted at various places would also be responsible for informing the police in case they come across any suspected items on places of their duty.
The governor, while expressing disappointment over the malfunctioning of cameras installed at PIDC House, ordered that the scheme approved earlier for installation of at least 100 multi- purpose cameras at vantage points in the city, should immediately be implemented.
The chief secretary promised to arrange funds for their purchase. The entire network should be centrally-controlled, Dr Ibad said. The company selling and installing these cameras will also be responsible for their maintenance.
The three cameras installed in 2003 at the place of the car bomb blast Monday morning, suffered from lack of maintenance.
It was also decided that a campaign of public awareness through home and information departments be launched to ensure peoples’ participation, including justices of peace, for checking terrorists and criminals.
The Citizen-Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) was asked to seek help from transporters to display notices on their buses asking the people to inform authorities on given telephone numbers about any suspicious activity.—APP
