Station house officers (SHO) of areas in Karachi where street crimes are rampant need to be changed, Sindh Inspector General of Police (IG) AD Khawaja stated in a press release issued Tuesday.

The press release was issued following a high-level meeting held at the Central Police Office (CPO) in Karachi on Tuesday to discuss measures to curb street crimes in the metropolis.

The Special Investigation Unit (SIU), initially formed to investigate robbery cases only, was ordered by the IG to handle reports of street crimes as well.

SIU Senior Superintendent Farooq Awan has been nominated as the spokesperson for the police, the press release stated. Khawaja has directed Additional IG Mushtaq Mehr to make a formal announcement about Awan's appointment.

Awan will serve as a liaison between the police and various organisations and government departments such as Citizens-Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) to help curb street crime.

Khawaja further tasked CPLC as well the AIG to devise a software with which they can block mobile phones that have been stolen or snatched in mugging incidents.

He directed the AIG Operations to hold a meeting with representatives of Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, mobile phone companies, law enforcement authorities and other stakeholders to start working on the project.