July 09, 2008	Wednesday	Rajab 5, 1429

KARACHI, July 8: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah has directed the law enforcement agencies to take stringent security measures and remain vigilant to avert any terrorist acts in the province.

He issued these directives while presiding over a high-level meeting held at the Chief Minister’s House on Tuesday in the wake of Monday’s serial bomb blasts in the metropolis.

Expressing grief over the blasts and displeasure over the poor performance of law enforcers, he asked the committee that was constituted last night comprising DIGs A.D. Khwaja and Abdul Aleem Jafri to submit their interim report within the next two days about the causes of the blasts.

He also directed the Additional Inspector-General of Police (Special Branch), Saud Mirza, to prepare a separate report about different aspects of the serial blasts.

The chief minister said anti-people elements and terrorists, who hatched the conspiracy to pit brothers against brothers, failed in their designs. He said all nefarious designs of such elements would be foiled with joint efforts of the government and people.

He asked all personnel of the police, Rangers and other law enforcement agencies to be vigilant in all parts of the province so that anti-state and anti-people forces could not dare to work on any such conspiracies.

During the detailed briefing about the serial blasts, the chief minister was informed that two out of the seven blasts – one in a taxi and the other in a motorcycle – were serious. Though no life was lost in any of the explosions, 43 persons were injured, including eight seriously.

The meeting decided that the government would bear the medical expenditures of the injured.

A cash reward of Rs1 million was announced for informers, with the assurance that the name would be kept secret.

The meeting appreciated the spirit of harmony, unity and fraternity among people and expressed the hope that by maintaining their spirit they would foil all conspiracies of anti-people forces.

Sindh Chief Secretary Fazl-ur-Rehman, Home Secretary Arif Khan, Director-General Rangers Maj-Gen Liaquat Ali, IG Police Babar Khattak, CCPO Karachi Wasim Ahmed, AIG Police (Special Branch) Saud Mirza, DIG Police (Investigation) Ghulam Qadir Thebo, DIG Police West Aleem Jafri, DIG East A.D. Khwaja, DIG South Iqbal Mehmood and others were also present.

The chief minister told a group of electronic media-persons on Monday night that a conspiracy was hatched to destabilise the elected government and deprive the people of their rights. Appealing to the people to demonstrate restraint, tolerance and unity, he said that all nefarious designs would be foiled and problems of the people would be solved.