KARACHI, Oct 5: The capital city police officer has said that police must not shoot to kill cellphone snatchers unless they carry written orders from the interior ministry allowing such a practice.

CCPO Wasim Ahmed said this while talking to journalists following a departmental meeting of officers comprising all the station house officers up to the rank of deputy-inspectors general at the auditorium of the driving licence branch on Sunday.

However, police could shoot at the non-vital parts of a fleeing suspect in self-defence, he explained when a journalist drew his attention to a recent statement of the adviser to the prime minister on interior affairs that cellphone snatchers would be shot at sight.

“Such a policy (shoot at sight) could be formulated and implemented only if the interior ministry issues written orders to this effect,” the CCPO reiterated.

About the meeting, he said all the station house officers had been told that they would not only be removed from their post, but would also be demoted from their rank if they failed to prevent crime in their respective areas of jurisdiction. “We want Karachi to be crime-free,” Mr Ahmed remarked.

He stressed that police officers must ensure safety and security of citizens, warning that disciplinary action would be taken against those who failed to live up to the expectations. Besides, a system of reward for the police force had also been chalked out, he said, citing the cash award given to policemen who took part in the recent Baldia operation.

He acknowledged that postings were made on political recommendations but said he had told police officers that if they failed to perform, they would be removed and their political clout would not be able to save them.

Quoting CPLC figures, he said there was a decline in cellphone snatchings in September, which was 30 per cent lesser than the preceding months. To curb the snatchings, he said policemen in civvies carrying cellphones were used as decoys at vulnerable spots.

On the other hand, he admitted that the figure of car thefts surged during the past few weeks as 20 cars were being snatched or stolen on a daily average. He said efforts were being made to reduce the average by half. The SHO of a police station concerned would be held responsible for a car snatching or theft taking place in his area of jurisdiction, the city police chief added.