KARACHI: The city police chief has claimed that the ongoing targeted operations have resulted in a 70 per cent drop in terror-related activities during the past two years and law enforcers are making concerted efforts to eliminate the sleeper cells of terrorist outfits which still exist in the metropolis.

Additional Inspector General of Police, Karachi, Mushtaq Ahmed Mahar was speaking at a press conference at Karachi Police Office (KPO) where representatives of traders demanded a mechanism to ensure continuity of the operation and de-politicization of police for a ‘sustainable’ peace in the city.

The press conference, which was also addressed by Colonel Amjad of Pakistan Rangers, was attended among others by representatives of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industries (KCCI), Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI), and Association of Builders and Developers (ABAD).

The police chief said heinous crimes such as targeted killing, kidnapping for ransom, extortion and terrorism had been reduced up to 70pc across the city but cell phone and motorbike snatching was still a challenge for the law enforcers.

While sharing Karachi operation’s two-year progress, Additional IG Mahar admitted that due to some weaknesses in police investigation and the criminal justice system, some criminals got bail from courts. He said most of such cases pertained to illegal arms (23 (1) (A) of Arms Act. “At least 90pc accused held on charges of heinous crimes were in jails and many of them have been awarded punishment,” he said.

Police claim up to 70pc drop in terror activities due to targeted operations

Rangers Col Amjad expressed the hope that the punishment awarded some three days back to one for carrying an illegal weapon would set a precedent.

Mr Mahar said up to 70pc reduction in crimes was made possible partly because ‘big fish’ was taken to task.

The police made significant progress in four high-profile cases in recent weeks, he said, adding that the cases included the killings of Advocate Syed Amir Hyder Shah, senior police officers and traffic police constables, and the deadly attack on MQM lawmaker Rashid Godil.

Mr Mahar said the police had identified two groups who targeted senior police officers and policemen of Zaman Town and traffic police constables.

“Some concrete clues have also been found about identity of the killers and their motive for killing Advocate Syed Amir Hyder Shah, but it is not advisable at this moment to share the same with media,” said the Karachi police chief.

About the armed attack on Mr Godil, he said that ‘good news’ about the case would be shared with the media very soon.

According to him, accountability process has been initiated in the police department with the identification of at least 1,000 ‘black sheep’. Of them, he said, there were at least 150 sub-inspector and section officers of traffic who used to get field posting but it was decided that they would not be given posting.

Mr Mahar said that ‘facilitation centres’ were being established at police stations to provide character certificates to citizens.

In reply to a question, the police chief said that operation against criminals in Karachi had been stopped two to three times in the past but this time ‘every state institution has decided that there is no point of return’.

Outcome

While giving briefing to the media, the Karachi police chief said nearly a dozen people were killed in the city on a daily basis before the launch of the operation in 2013. At present the daily average had climbed down to three, while the overall the incidents of kidnapping for ransom, extortion, targeted killing and terrorism activities had reduced by 70pc, the police chief claimed.

The number of targeted killing has reduced from eight to two or three at present, he said, adding that efforts were under way to improve the situation further.

Robberies and street crimes had been reduced to 65pc and 50pc, respectively, but mobile phone snatching was still a challenge for the law enforcers, said Mr Mahar.

Besides with a significant decline in car theft, motorbike snatching had increased, he said.

3,500 encounters

He said 286 terrorists, 38 kidnappers and 10 extortionists were killed and 3,000 other ‘hardcore criminals’ were arrested in 3,500 ‘encounters’ in the city during the past two years.

Besides 15,400 weapons were seized in the operation, he added.

Additional IG Mahar said: “232 police officials ranking from constable to superintendent of police embraced martyrdom in Karachi during these two years.”

The cases of Safoora bus carnage and murder of human rights activist Sabeen Mahmood were solved, he said.

The improved law and order boosted trade and business activities in the city, with the result that the value of property especially in the old city areas increased up to 80 to 90pc as per claim of All-Karachi Tajir Ittehad chairman Ateeq Mir, said the police chief.

Besides, he added, record sale was recorded on the Independence Day this year.

Future initiatives

The police chief said: “Now we have decided to consolidate the operation to eliminate the remaining 30-35pc crimes.”

For this purpose, he said, police stations would be ‘improved’ and modern technology would be used to control crimes. “This is my vision and some initiatives have already been taken to this effect,” he added.

Some 35 places were identified where snatching of cell phones was common, he said. At these points, closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras would be installed and response centres would be set up, he said. Such a response centre had already been established at old ‘Submarine Chowrangi’, he said.

Also, a specialized unit was established at the CIA police that would track snatching of mobile phones in the city with the help of civil society. Number of safe neighbourhoods would be increased to involve local community to control street crimes, he added.

The police chief said: “E-technology is being introduced in the police to computerise record of criminals and of black sheep in the police so that they could not get posting.” The system will also help digitize record of arms dealers and 70,000 private guards with the help of Nadra though this process might take six months to complete, he added.

Mr Mahar said the police improved coordination with the prosecution side to increase conviction rate of criminals. The department also requested the government to increase number of anti-terrorism courts, while high-profile cases would be transferred to military courts for trial, he said.

Rangers’ role in operation

The paramilitary force carried out over 6,000 targeted operations in the city. Over 8,000 suspects were detained during these operations and 3,500 of them were facing cases before courts, said Col Amjad.

Of the thousands of suspects detained, at least 913 were alleged terrorists, 550 were hit men while 347 others were extortionists, he added.

Twenty seven Rangers personnel embraced martyrdom, while 85 others were wounded during the past two years, said the official.

He said the operation was launched to prevent loss of precious human lives and damage to national assets and economy and now ‘everyone was demanding to make it [the operation] sustainable.’

CPLC

Also present at the press conference, Citizens-Police Liaison Committee chief Zubair Habib said that a plan was under way to control cell phones snatching and increase number of neighbourhood care centres. He urged citizens to report crimes at CPLC helpline so that crimes could be detected and eliminated.

Ex-CPLC head Nazim Haji expressed the hope that with introduction of ‘criminal record management’ system, the issue related to identity of criminals would be resolved.

Trade bodies

On the occasion, representatives of the KCCI, the KATI, the ABAD and others demanded that there should be a system in place to continue the targeted operations and ensure that the situation does not worsen.

They also demanded that police be depoliticized, honest and competent officers be appointed, and measures be taken to purge the society of corruption.

The traders also announced that they would initially provide Rs2.5 million to help the families of the martyred Rangers and police officials and promise to provide financial assistance to their children to get education up to the university level.

The trade bodies representatives who spoke on this occasion included Siraj Qasim Teli, Iftikhar Vohra, Rashid Ahmed Siddiqi, Junaid Ashraf and Tariq Malik.

Published in Dawn, September 6th, 2015

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