KARACHI, April 21: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah on Saturday expressed his displeasure over the law and order situation and said that the government had given a free hand to police and Rangers, but the desired results were not achieved.
He asked the officials concerned that if they could not maintain law and order, then they should quit voluntarily.
Presiding over a meeting at the Chief Minister’s House, the chief minister directed that performance of law-enforcement agencies should be improved and criminal activities must be controlled.
He said that a lot of police officers demanded postings to police stations of their own choice, but it must be ensured that those police officers were given police stations that were really willing to work hard and control activities of criminals with iron hand.
He directed the law-enforcement agencies to strictly maintain the law and order in the province and particularly in Karachi and all-out efforts were made to protect lives of poor, innocent and down-trodden people at all cost.
He emphasised that it was the prime responsibility of law-enforcement agencies to arrest criminals, who were in less numbers, but killing people.
The chief minister said that during recent meetings of stakeholders it was unanimously resolved that action would be taken against criminals across the board, and no one would interfere in affairs of law-enforcement agencies.
“The government is spending huge amount of money on law and order and gives first priority to maintaining peaceful atmosphere.”
He said that notorious criminals must be arrested and presented in courts for trail and punishment while the rule of law and authority of the law should be strictly maintained.
He stressed upon the Sindh inspector general of police to maintain merit and performance of officers must be kept in view while postings them to police stations.
“The police are responsible to the government and the government is responsible to the people,” he said.
He stressed that the police and Rangers work jointly with proper coordination and operate against criminals.
“The people living in Karachi are Pakistanis and they are working and living here with the expectation that the government of Sindh will protect their life and property. So if any police officer or official who cannot maintain peace, should quit voluntarily,” he said.
“Now, no carelessness or negligence will be tolerated at any cost and those who cannot maintain peace will be removed from their postings,” the chief minister warned.
He said that those who would show best performance would be rewarded.
He said that the police and Rangers were two arms of the government and when both arms worked in cooperation, they could achieve results and eradicate criminals and terrorists from society.
Earlier, Sindh Home Minister Manzoor Hussain Wasan, Sindh chief secretary Raja Mohammed Abbas, Sindh IG of police Syed Mushtaque Ahmed Shah, additional chief secretary (home) Syed Sohail Akber Shah, deputy DG of Rangers Brig Mohammed Rafique Khan, additional IG of police of Karachi Akhtar Gorchani, Karachi commissioner Roshan Ali Sheikh, and heads of various law-enforcement agencies presented their reports.
They assured the chief minister that peace would be restored in Karachi and criminals would be eliminated.