KARACHI: Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad on Saturday conceded that the incidents of street crimes had jumped up recently in Karachi as the issue might have been ‘overlooked’ by law-enforcement agencies busy in fighting ‘major’ issues, like restoration of peace and arrest of militants and hitmen.

However, he claimed that the adequate security arrangements had been made for shoppers in city markets to ensure that people could do their Eid shopping with utmost peace of mind and without any fear.

While speaking to reporters during his visit to different commercial areas and markets of the city, the Sindh governor accompanied by Sindh Home Minister Suhail Anwar Siyal also appreciated the role of people of Karachi who were cooperating with the law-enforcement agencies.

“No one should have any doubt over the performance of our agencies,” he said while responding to a query. “They have done a wonderful job to restore peace, but you are right to some extent that while handling major issues, the minor one could have been overlooked which led to increase in street crimes. But I believe and can assure you in the presence of our home minister that our law-enforcement agencies would definitely take it up.”

He said that the purpose of his visit was to see security arrangements himself at various places and ask consumers about the same and any other problem being faced by them. Due to strenuous and untiring efforts of personnel of law enforcement agencies, the security situation had improved considerably and the crowd in markets was reflection of that success, he added.

“The development is the priority after improvement in law and order situation,” he said. “You already know that the work on north bound track of Lyari Expressway which has been restarted after a gap of eight years is progressing well while the most vital K-4 project has also been started.”

The Sindh governor visited Tariq Road, Hyderi, Nazimabad, Saddar and Clifton and also met shoppers and traders and asked them about security and other arrangements.

In Hyderi, North Nazimabad representatives of the Bohri community complained of power failure in their area for three days. The power supply restored only after the Sindh governor intervened and contacted the K-Electric management with the same complaint.

Published in Dawn, July 3rd, 2016