• Curbing street crime in Karachi top priority • Action to be taken against beggars • Comprehensive traffic arrangements made

KARACHI: Police authorities have prepared a Sindh-wide security plan to maintain law and order and ensure smooth flow of traffic during the month of Ramazan, it emerged on Saturday.

An official said that Ramazan posed a challenge for security, maintenance of law and order and crime prevention in urban (particularly street crimes) as well as rural areas. Therefore, different security arrangements have been planned to provide security to the general public and prevent robberies, terrorism and any untoward incident.

Under the plan, activities of militants and sectarian outfits would be carefully watched while strict vigilance would be ensured at mosques and Imambargahs.

The extra security measures have been taken following a suicide attack in a Peshawar Imambargah earlier this month.

For security arrangements at shopping centres, additional IG Karachi and zonal DIGs and SSPs will hold frequent meetings with traders and a close liaison would be maintained with business community for effective security arrangements of markets, shopping malls and bazaars, etc.

Checkpoints would be established on main roads and highways where random checking would also be carried out besides enhanced mobile patrol in streets.

Traffic arrangements

A comprehensive plan of traffic arrangements especially around shopping centres, malls has been prepared.

Choke points and bottlenecks have been identified with alternative routes/diversions and all choking points will be bolstered by extra manpower.

DIG-Traffic Ahmed Nawaz held a meeting with officers and directed them for deploying extra traffic personnel while double/triple parking would not be allowed.

All SSPs directed to personally supervise main roads to ensure smooth flow of traffic.

The DIG said that in order to improve traffic flow, a special traffic plan had been prepared from Tower to Manzil Pump, Eidgah to 4-K Chowrangi and Gurumandir to 4-K Chowrangi, where 833 traffic policemen would perform their duty.

Drive against beggars

As beggars from all over the country have landed in big cities, especially in Karachi,

during Ramazan, the situation will not only cause nuisance, but it will also create traffic problems. Therefore, the police have chalked out a strategy to handle this problem.

Under the plan, action will be taken against beggars under relevant laws while anti-beggary squad comprising a mobile/vehicle equipped with wireless and suitable staffs, including lady police officials, have been created in each district and they will monitor the situation daily.

The policemen will be deployed on major intersections, markets, mosques, etc, to discourage beggars.

The police officers have also been directed to hold meetings with NGOs dealing with beggars and all disabled/aged beggars would be handed over to such NGOs, Edhi Foundation, etc, after completing the relevant legal formalities.

The lady police personnel would also be deputed to deal with female beggars.

Stress on police

A police officer said that at present the police force were already involved in excessive duties, hence these over-stretched duty hours and extra engagements might have some stressful effects on the force.

Inspector General of Police Sindh, Mushtaq Ahmed Mahar has directed the police officers to plan a smart deployment of the force in order to avoid stress and minimise harmful effects of excessive duties based on a continuous rotation policy.

Meanwhile, Motorway Police Additional IG South region Mohammed Inkisar Khan on Saturday held special briefing for road users.

Additional officers were deployed at toll plazas, who briefed the drivers of trucks to drive their vehicles on the left side of the highway so as to not disrupt the flow of traffic.

The road users were also asked to avoid over-speeding as it could be fatal and use seat belts and never use a mobile while driving.

Published in Dawn, April 3rd, 2022