KARACHI: Terming the law and order situation in rural and urban parts of the province extremely unsatisfactory, Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that he has decided to make a major reshuffle in the police department and civil administration.

Addressing a press conference, the chief minister conceded that the security situation in Karachi and rural areas, particularly in riverine belt, was alarming and that he was not satisfied with the law-and-order situation in the province.

“I have decided to make a major reshuffle in the police department,” he said and added that major changes would also be made in district administrations after formation of his cabinet following the presidential election.

The chief minister said that the street crime in the city was on the rise while incidence of kidnapping for ransom cases could not be brought under control in the riverine areas, better known as Katcha areas.

Murad admits security situation is ‘extremely unsatisfactory’ in rural and urban parts of province

“This is the prime responsibility of every government to ensure security to the life and property of people,” he said adding that therefore he had decided to reshuffle the police department.

Responding to a question, Mr Murad said that he had approved Rs5.3 billion to start the Safe City project under which Intelligence Video Surveillance (IVS) and Vehicle Management System (VMS) cameras would installed for technology-led policing in Karachi in the in the first phase and then in other cities of the province.

The chief minister said that he would constitute the Provincial Finance Commission within a month and then announce the award within next six months.

Replying to a question, he said that the constitution of the PFC had not been possible in the absence of the provincial assembly.

The chief minister said that all policy decisions taken by the provincial caretaker government would be reviewed by the elected government as the main task of the caretaker government was to run day-to-day affairs.

Published in Dawn, March 9th, 2024