KARACHI: Caretaker Sindh Chief Minister Retired Justice Maqbool Baqar on Friday directed the Sindh Criminal Prosecution Service to expedite disposal of all cases of foreigners illegally living in the province.

He issued the direction while presiding over a meeting to review the progress of the implementation of decisions taken in the Provincial Apex Committee meeting held on Oct 6 which was also attended among others by the Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir.

Briefing the CM about the status of the apex committee decisions, Additional Chief Secretary Home Muhammad Iqbal Memon said that that the provincial, divisional and district implementation committees had been notified in pursuance of the interior ministry’s policy on the ‘Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan’.

According to a statement issued by the CM House, the home secretary informed the meeting that the data of non-Pakistanis recorded in the province in the Census 2023 would be obtained from the census commissioner for mapping of legal and illegal immigrants.

Reviews implementation of provincial Apex Committee’s decisions

Mr Memon said that the first meeting of the Provincial Implementation Committee was held on Oct 12 and it designated the Special Branch as the lead agency for the implementation of the repatriation plan. “It would identify the localities, including business areas, with the help of the other law enforcement agencies,” he said, and added that the identified areas would be targeted.

The home secretary said that divisional and district implementation committees would also collect data and share it with the home department, adding that the law enforcement agencies would assess the identified areas and decide on combing up operations, if required.

He said that the federal government had already directed Nadra and Ministry of States and Frontier Region (Safron), to assist the LEAs during operations for the verification of illegal immigrants.

The meeting was also attended by Home Minister Brig Haris Nawaz, Law Minister Omar Soomro, Chief Secretary Dr Fakhre Alam, IGP Riffat Mukhtar, Additional IG Karachi Khadim Rind and others.

It was also decided that PoR- and ACC-holders would have to register themselves at the nearest police stations and the failure to do so would be considered as illegal foreigners.

Abducted SHO, colleagues

The caretaker CM expressed his displeasure and dismay over the kidnapping of an SHO and four personnel from a police station in Shikarpur by a dacoits’ gang. “The incident has become a stigma and earned a bad name on the performance of the police,” he said and observed that when police stations were not safe, what to talk about security and safety of citizens.

Justice Baqar asked the Larkana DIG to ensure recovery of the abducted policemen within the next 48 hours and submit a report to him. He also ordered a thorough inquiry into the incident.

Fortification of police stations

CM Justice Baqar also approved the medical insurance policy of all policemen which would cost the government over Rs1 billion. He also issued directives for strengthening and renovating all police stations.

After receiving a briefing from the senior police officials at the meeting, he directed the IGP to get all police station buildings repaired but they should not be made in a fancy style.

He said that police stations must be fortified by constructing strong walls and watch towers, and should have a reception. “All the police stations should have the same standard construction,” he added.

Published in Dawn, October 14th, 2023