HYDERABAD, Jan 26 Police performance came under the scrutiny of District Council members on Monday, compelling the convenor to call DPO or SP for a briefing on rising street crimes.

Members debating the issue expressed their concern over rising police gratification as a ban on the sale of manpuri and gutka always pushes these rates up.

It all began when the House took up Javed Kardar's resolution over the safety and security due to increasing crimes on city streets, besides poverty and joblessness ruling the masses.

He urged the district government for devising a strategy for fighting these social ills by organising the police force on modern lines. He proposed of forming committees for tackling the issues.

Sajida Baloch supported the resolution but was apprehensive over the formation of committees as according to her the previous many such bodies were yet to submit their progress reports. She regretted that the committee whose member she was, is yet not notified though considerable time had passed with the system nearing the winding up.

Ashraf Munna, Mohammad Aslam and Yamin Soomro backing the resolution linked street crimes to poverty and joblessness. Soomro even mentioned the kidnapping of four sisters from Shalimar Bungalows.

Pervez Ranjho was of the view that any ban on manpuri and gutka increases the rates of policemen adding that they get postings through their contacts and receive salaries by avoiding duties. The ban, he said, was enforced for only two days.

Mehboob Abro praising the home minister for posting honest police officials called for doing the same at lower cadres, also. The results would take time to trickle down he said adding that the lack of strength and equipments were the main hurdles. Quoting an example, he said that Qaismabad police station was even devoid of a mobile van. The strength of personnel should be in proportion to population growth, he further said.

Mohammad Ahsan supported his contentions in police failure to nib crimes and called for nurturing community-police liaison for bringing the situation under control.