KARACHI: Street criminals when arrested will be sent for summary trials. This was one of the decisions taken by Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah during a meeting, held to evolve a strategy to curb street crimes in the city, on Tuesday.

Through another decision, the chief minister approved a Rs102 million plan to strengthen Madadgar 15 by enhancing its force to 2,900, equipped with vehicles, latest gadgets, including geo-location caller, repair Karachi police fleet, construction of police stations and setting up forensic laboratories so that prompt action could be taken against street criminals.

The chief minister also constituted a committee under his Adviser on Law Murtaza Wahab and Inspector General of Police Dr Kaleem Imam to prepare recommendations for summary trials of street criminals for consideration of the cabinet.

Provincial public safety commission holds first meeting

He took these decisions on Tuesday while presiding over a meeting held to evolve a strategy to control street crime in the city.

The meeting was attended by Adviser to CM Wahab, Home Secretary Kazi Kabir, IGP Dr Imam, AIG Karachi Ghulam Nabi Memon, AIG CTD Kamran Fazal and other officers concerned.

Madadgar 15

The CM on the recommendations of the IGP approved Rs6m for the provision of 200 tablets for vehicles to be used by Madadgar 15 with a dedicated police force of 2,900 personnel trained by the Special Security Unit (SSU) who have been provided 30 mobiles.

The chief minister approved vehicles (Suzuki APV) required for forensic vans for each police station and establishment of drug rehabilitation centres at Malir and Korangi.

On a point raised by the Karachi police chief, the chief minister approved Rs96m for repairs of the Karachi police fleet and construction of police station buildings. At present only 20 police stations are functioning in proper buildings.

The chief minister on the recommendation of the Karachi police also approved the creation of a security and emergency response division and decided to further strengthen the SSU, and the crowd management unit.

State of street crime

Briefing the chief minister on the state of street crime and efforts of the Karachi police to curb this menace, city police chief Ghulam Nabi Memon said that drug addicts were involved in street crimes.

The meeting was told that there was no proper rehabilitation mechanism for drug addicts.

Besides, the lengthy criminal procedure, right from the registration of a case to its final judgement in court, was inconvenient. “This discourages the victim to get the case registered, thus the accused get advantage,” the chief minister said which was endorsed by the AIG Karachi, who said that of the 2,468 complainants approached by the Police Victim Support Unit, only 15 agreed to get their cases registered. The chief minister directed Murtaza Wahab to prepare recommendations to simplify the procedure.

It was also pointed out that the bail policy was quite liberal, therefore criminals kept committing crimes.

Illegal immigrants such as Afghans, Burmese and Bengalis were also termed drivers of street crime. The AIG said that the police had started searching for the hideouts of criminals in 162 slum areas of the city.

The chief minister said that there was a dire need to expedite the Safe City project, apart from strengthening investigation/prosecution. He ordered the establishment of a forensic laboratory.

Mr Memon told the meeting that 390 offenders involved in repeated street crimes had been apprehended last month and 1,631 drug addicts had also been taken into custody. Of these 1,156 addicts were handed over to Edhi Home.

Murad Ali Shah directed the IGP to create dedicated manpower for DNA/biometrics and give them required training.

He also issued orders for the creation of a crime scene management unit (CCMU), establishment of case file preparation rooms which must be equipped with necessary equipment and gadgets.

Public safety commission

The Sindh chief minister, presiding over the first meeting of Provincial Public Safety and Police Complaints Commission established under the Police Order, approved the appointment of secretary of the commission and also issued directives for the formation of district public safety commissions.

The meeting was attended by Murtaza Wahab, MPAs Sharjeel Memon, Imdad Pitafi, Shamim Mumtaz and Shahnaz Begum.

The chief minister, being chairman of the commission, in consultation with commission members approved the appointment of Saifullah Abro as secretary of the public safety commission.

A member of the commission pointed out that that Ali Nawaz Chachar, a young boy of Pir Jo Goth, Khairpur district, committed suicide when he failed to get his kidnapped sister freed from the abductors. Mr Shah directed IGP to register the case and get the culprits arrested.

The members raised the issues of sexual abuse of children and use of drugs by schoolchildren and karo-kari. The CM directed the IGP to take strict actions against culprits involved in such crimes.

Published in Dawn, November 6th, 2019