KARACHI: The apex committee has decided to launch a crackdown on drug dealers and criminals involved in street crime besides compiling a list of people, particularly seminary students, who have been to Afghanistan, Iran and Syria in recent years.

In its 17th meeting held at CM House on Thursday, the apex committee also decided that the names which had been put on fourth schedule and those of 3,023 proclaimed offenders would be shared with federal and provincial agencies to monitor their activities and arrest them.

The meeting, which was chaired by Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, was attended by Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad, Corps Commander Lt Gen Naveed Mukhtar, advisers to CM Maula Bakhsh Chandio, Murtaza Wahab, Chief Secretary Siddque Memon, Home Secretary Shakeel Mangnijo, DG Rangers Maj Gen Bilal Akbar, Sindh IG A.D. Khawaja, Additional IG Mushtaq Maher, CTD chief Sanaullah Abbasi, provincial heads of intelligence agencies and Prosecutor General Shahadat Awan and others.

The chief minister gave a go-ahead for the upgrade of 1,000 closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras to 12 mega pixel and assured the law enforcement agencies of his support to make Karachi one of the most peaceful cities in the world.

Earlier, the chief minister said that the ongoing operation against terrorists, hitmen, extortionists, and kidnappers for ransom produced encouraging results. But it did not mean that the target had been achieved for which “we have to formulate a strategy with collective wisdom.”

The committee was of the opinion that criminals involved in street crime did not enjoy any group’s backing but they became nursery for major criminal activities with the passage of time if they were not crushed.

It was said 1,400 criminals, who had been granted bail in cases of heinous crimes due to lack of evidence, were found involved in street crimes along with the drug mafia and traffickers and financing terrorists gangs in the city.

Taking up the issue of the people whose names have been put on the fourth schedule, the meeting decided that their security, if given, would be withdrawn and their activities would also be monitored and if some of them were in government service would be issued show-cause notices before any action. It was also decided to share the lists of persons on fourth schedule with other agencies, provinces and also with the federal government.

In the meeting it was also pointed out that there were some 3,023 proclaimed offenders and Prosecutor General Shahadat Awan was asked to share their list with the Rangers, police, intelligence agencies, federal agencies and other provincial governments for their arrest.

The meeting also deliberated the serious issue of illegal immigrants living in Sindh. It was decided that the federal government would be requested to give powers to the police for registering an FIR against illegal immigrants as at present only the FIA could proceed in this regard.

On the occasion, police IG A.D. Khowaja informed the committee that selection of 8,000 policemen had been finalised through an exam conducted by the NTS in which army officials were also inducted and being sent to Risalpur for training.

The corps commander said he had made necessary arrangements for proper training of newly recruited policemen. He added that he was handing over six armoured personnel carriers and 500 weapons to the police.

The police chief said he needed 400-square-yard land in the city to establish a forensic lab. The corps commander said he would talk to the DHA and would try his best to arrange land for the purpose.

The apex body decided that the 93 seminaries, which were reportedly supporting terrorists, would be put on alert to monitor their activities, visitors and funding and the sub-national groups involved in criminal activities and working for terrorists would also be taken to task by launching a joint operation of the Rangers and police.

Maj Gen Bilal Akbar briefed the meeting on the Rangers’ performance and targeted operations. He said the Rangers had established well-equipped checkpoints at the Sassui Bridge on near Ghaggar and on the Sindh-Punjab border at Kot Sabzal while a checkpoint at Hub was under construction.

Governor Dr Ibad said the CCTV cameras installed all over the city must be upgraded as that was the only way to monitor the entire city.

Published in Dawn, November 4th, 2016