KARACHI, Feb 16: Chief Minister of Sindh, Sardar Ali Mohammad Mahar, has said the police have played a significant role in breaking up the network of terrorists and robbers in the interior of the province.

Speaking at the 58th passing-out parade of cadets at the Saeedabad police training centre on Monday, the chief minister said the police had arrested many terrorists and created a dent in their network.

Congratulating those who had completed their training, Mr Mahar expressed the hope that they would demonstrate the acquired skills in their practical life and would play an important role in improving the performance of the police.

He said the policemen should exhibit the true spirit of community policing by respecting the human rights. They should be courteous and polite as much as possible. Mr Mahar said rewards would be presented to those police who performed well and warned of punishment those who were involved in dereliction of duty.

The chief minister observed that all possible facilities should be made available at the training centre. He promised the police officials that drinking water would be provided to them as soon as possible at their training centres. He agreed to meet all the demands forwarded by the provincial police chief.

Earlier, the provincial Inspector-General of Police, Syed Kamal Shah, said the policemen were being prepared to cope with the challenges that lay ahead by utilizing their professional capabilities.

He was of the view that Madadgar 15 had created a sense of security among the masses as the police responded promptly to every distress call. "Now the people have started feeling that the police are people-friendly."

As in the new police order, due importance was being attached to human rights. A new subject of human rights had been included in the syllabus of the cadets, said Mr Shah.

Research work on kidnapping for ransom, terrorism, the modus operandi of the perpetrators of crimes, and the causes of the failure of cases in the courts was carried out by the students, which was the first initiative of its kind. It would hopefully enable the trainees to get in-depth perceptions which they would utilize in their professional duty.

Mr Shah said the police, on a self-help basis, had established the computer and photography laboratories, besides repairing the furniture. However, due to the lack of sufficient funds many developmental works remained incomplete.

He highlighted the problem of drinking water, which was a primary one, and said a hostel building for women was still incomplete. There was no auditorium and no housing facilities for the staff.

The library remained non-operational and there was no swimming pool. All these projects required funds. He also pointed out that a 20 per cent raise had been announced by the government in the salaries of the teachers but the decision was yet to be implemented.

The chief minister witnessed the passing-out parade and conferred commendation certificates and cash rewards on the position-holders. Some 1,500 policemen passed out in the 58th passing-out ceremony.

Of them, 78 completed the upper school course, 237 the probationary assistant sub-inspector course, 392 the intermediate course, 356 the lower school course and 427 did the recruit course.