KARACHI: More than 100 police officers in Karachi have been identified and authorities are collecting details from their respective police stations in an attempt to move against them for their “connections with criminals or their activities”, a top-ranking official said on Tuesday.

The fresh move came after newly-appointed Karachi police chief Dr Amir Ahmed Shaikh directed senior officials to bring reforms in the city police that had been facing multiple challenges ranging from terrorist activities to street crime and from extortion to kidnapping for ransom.

The inspector-level officers have been found involved in criminal activities or in some cases supporting criminal groups in their areas of posting.

A special unit is likely to be set up for ‘counselling’ of such police officers

“We have prepared a list of 113 officers,” said Additional Inspector General Dr Amir Ahmed Shaikh. “We have gathered all details of their professional history and record of their performance. After getting solid information and facts beyond a shadow of a doubt, we have finalised the list which would help bring reforms in the department as well as serve as deterrence for other officers.”

When asked about the fate of such policemen, the city police chief said that a policy was being devised to handle their cases properly and in this regard one of the suggestions had emerged about their counselling.

A special unit within Karachi police to handle such cases was also under consideration, he added.

“[The formation of] a unit, to be called the police officers counselling unit, is also on the cards to address these issues,” he said. “Every officer, against whom a complaint is received, would be given two months to prove his innocence and perform so he can be given a chance to get a posting. This is all we are proposing for bringing reforms in the city police force and improve performance at the grass-root level.”

With threats ranging from terrorist attacks to deadly battles with gangsters, street criminals and hitmen associated with political groups, the Karachi police backed by Pakistan Rangers, Sindh have succeeded in improving security situation in the city to a large extent as peace has been restored after years of bloodshed on sectarian, ethnic and political grounds following a targeted operation launched in September 2013.

However, meaningful steps to curb street crime remains a big challenge for law enforcers and an alarming increase in mugging and robbery incidents puts a question mark on the effectiveness of the entire exercise.

The authorities, however, believe that bringing reforms at the grass-root level and identifying officers facilitating criminal elements would improve the overall performance of the law enforcement agency and also boost action against the gangs involved in street crime.

Published in Dawn, August 22nd, 2018