KARACHI, Jan 19: Sindh Home Minister Dr Zulfikar Ali Mirza has directed the provincial police officer to take appropriate steps for a comprehensive strategy to launch a disarmament drive in Karachi as well as rest of the province.

Stringent measures must be taken not only to arrest the absconding and proclaimed offenders but also against elements possessing illegal arms and involved in their sale and trafficking, the minister said while taking notice of reports appearing in the press in this respect.

He said that the available manpower must be utilised keeping in view their professional capabilities to keep law and order under control and for the supremacy of law. About registration of licensed arms, he said that implementation of directives already issued to the police high-ups must be ensured.

He called for strong and effective liaison between the police, other law-enforcement agencies and intelligence agencies to ensure concrete steps for the recovery of illegal and banned weapons like KKs, SMGs, MP-5, G-3 rifles.

The minister directed that the CID police should be activated at district, taluka and town levels and raids be conducted under foolproof arrangements on receipt of the information about presence of arms cache.

In this regard, he said that all the personnel be given formal briefing so that peaceful citizens were not affected in any way during the drive.

He said by launching the campaign as per lists of absconding and wanted criminals available in all the police stations, the action plan be expanded to criminals engaged in the sale/purchase of illegal weapons and their trafficking.

Dr Mirza also directed the authorities concerned to ensure strict monitoring of passenger buses entering Karachi from the Super Highway and other routes as well as at bus terminals and railway stations in the metropolis.—APP