KARACHI: Newly appointed chief of the Citizens-Police Liaison Committee (CPLC), Zubair Habib, on Thursday dispelled the impression that the CPLC lacked coordination with the Rangers’ Task Force established recently to tackle kidnapping for ransom cases.

“We work in coordination with Rangers and there were several cases, which were being jointly handled by the CPLC and Rangers,” said Habib in his first press conference after assuming charge of the CPLC.

He recalled that recently Pakistan Rangers Sindh Director General Maj Gen Bilal Akbar visited the CPLC office, followed by visits from 14 Rangers officials, signalling cordial ties between the two institutions.

“There was no controversy between the Rangers and the CPLC. Our goal is the same and we work jointly,” added the head of the citizens’ body.

“If any misunderstanding existed in the past, you won’t find its traces now,” said Habib.

Sharing updated data, Habib said there had been a significant reduction in major crimes such as targeted killings, kidnapping for ransom and extortion but there was no let-up in street crimes.

He pointed out that in 2014, around 29,000 mobile phones were snatched/stolen but in the outgoing year 2015, that number had rise to over 32,000 in Karachi.