June 27, 2008	Friday	Jamadi-us-Sani 22, 1429

SHIKARPUR, June 26: Sindh Home Minister Dr Zulfiqar Mirza claimed on Thursday that the government was determined to ensure zero crime rate in the province and asked the DPOs not to accept any pressure by any political party including the Pakistan People’s Party.Talking to journalists at the DPO office, the minister said that the Sindh government would curb terrorist and criminal activities to establish peace in the province, particularly in Shikarpur district where professional criminals and their harbourers had deteriorated law and order.

He claimed that the government had given a free hand to all the DPOs and police officials to crush criminal activities in their respective districts. The party considered peace-loving and democratic minded people its friends and criminal elements and their supporters its enemies, he stressed.

About jirga system, the minister said that he was not in favour of illegal jirga system, which had resulted in sharp rise in tribal feuds instead of providing justice to the aggrieved parties.

Mirza said that he was proud of the landlords and feudal lords who were extending cooperation to the district and police administrations in maintaining peace, and warned he would take severe action against the people involved in encouraging criminal elements.

He said that an operation cleanup was being launched against criminal elements in the district and very soon the area would become the most peaceful district of the province as it used to be in the past.

The PPP government was strictly following policies and programmes envisioned by late Benazir Bhutto, which were aimed at people’s welfare, protection of life, honour and property and redressal of grievances without any discrimination, he claimed.

The minister earlier held a meeting with police officials and finalised strategy for launching operation against criminals. He listened to complaints of a group of protesters belonging to Odho community and assured their kidnapped relatives would soon be traced.

He issued directives on the spot to the acting DPO ordering him to find the kidnapped men, namely, Maqsood Ahmed, Imran, Sohail and Tariq who were snatched a few days ago in the jurisdiction of Garhi Yasin police station.

He met with another group of protesters belonging to Lashari community who complained against New Foujdari police. The minister ordered legal action in the matter and recovery of robbed and stolen property of some journalists of the district.

In Sukkur, Dr. Zulfiqar Mirza told a delegation of traders that more police stations would be established in the city in accordance with its increasing population.

According to a press release issued by the president of Sukkur Small Traders Association Haji Mohammad Haroon Memon on Thursday, the minister told the delegation at Circuit House late on Wednesday night that an operation would be launched soon in the district against dacoits and outlaws.

Haji Haroon said that the delegation apprised the minister of deteriorating law and order situation in the city and demanded increase in police force.

The delegation called for establishment of more police stations in the city and equipping police force with modern weapons and equipment.