KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that issues being faced by the police department will be solved on a priority basis as people from different sections of society are looking to them for durable peace in the city.

Law and order was major responsibility of the police without which the province could not make any progress, he said, adding that the targeted operations would continue until they learnt to stand on their own feet.

The chief minister was speaking at a ceremony held at the police headquarters on Tuesday to decorate 251 deputy superintendent of police on their promotion. He said it was for the first time in the province’s history that such a large number of DSPs were being promoted. He said with promotion their responsibility had increased manifolds.

Mr Shah assured the gathering that police issues would be resolved on a priority basis. He said problems related to medical facilities for police would be solved very soon.

He paid tribute to martyred police personnel who laid their life for the country. He added their sacrifices would not be allowed to go in vain.

Referring to the powers of newly elected representatives of local bodies, he said they would get all powers in accordance with the relevant

laws. He said that quota system was a political issue and would be resolved politically.

In reply to a question, the chief minister said that all sorts of encroachments in Karachi would be eliminated.

He said those responsible for the August 22 violence could not get off scot-free. Everyone had a constitutional right to hold peaceful protests but a special force was needed to meet the challenge when agitators turned violent, he added.

Before the speech and decoration of the officials, Sindh IG Police A.D. Khowaja assured the chief minister that the police would continue their all-out efforts to make Sindh a model province.

ADB to finance expressway project

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has agreed to finance the construction of the Malir expressway project — starting from the Karachi port to the Superhighway — which will serve as a southern alternative route to carry dedicated traffic of the port and Industrial areas to the main highways.

The expressway project planned by the Sindh government will start from the Karachi port via Defence Korangi Road and will run parallel to Malir River, Korangi Industrial Area, the National Highway link road and towards Superhighway.

This was disclosed in a meeting held between Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and country director of the Asian Development Bank Werner E. Liepach here at CM House on Thursday.

The ADB country chief was assisted by his team while the chief minister was assisted by additional chief secretary (development) Mohammed Waseem and principal secretary to CM Naveed Kamran Baloch.

The chief minister said that his government had envisaged this road project which would be facilitated by the federal government with the assistance of the ADB.

He said that the ADB was also constructing the Harbour Front Bridge from deep sea to Lyari Expressway.

When both the projects would be completed they would work as ring-roads connecting the port round the entire city.

The ADB country director said the project was workable and some of its papers had been shared with him and his team. He asked the chief minister to expedite its paperwork and survey so that he could get it approved from the ADB board scheduled to meet in October.

Additional chief secretary Mohammed Waseem briefed the meeting participants on Rs62,041 million ADB funded projects.

Published in Dawn, September 2nd, 2016