Sindh cabinet approves revival of Police Order 2002 as is applicable in Punjab

KARACHI: The Sindh Cabinet in order to implement Supreme Court orders has approved the revival of Police Order 2002 as it is applicable in Punjab, however it has been referred to standing committee for considering certain amendments to make it a progressive law in connection with modern requirement of policing.

This decision was taken in the cabinet meeting, held under the chairmanship of Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, here at the CM House.

The meeting was attended by chief secretary Mumtaz Shah, all provincial ministers, Advisor to Chief Minister Murtaza Wahab, IG Police Dr Kaleem Imam and all concerned secretaries.

The chief minister said that the maintenance of law and order was the responsibility of the government. “with our political will we have restored law and order in the province, particularly in the city of Karachi but ever since the police have started operating on its own various serious issues have emerged,” he said and added the provincial government faced the criticism.

He said that the police has been made autonomous and now it has to be community friendly. “People must have the feeling of security and protection in presence of the police but some incidents have proved to be contrary,” he said and added under 2002 Act, IG Police would become principal accounting officer under which his department’s financial issues would be solved at his level.

The chief secretary said that the entire government officers system revolved around Appointment, Promotion and Transfer (APT) rules and the same rules were applicable on the police also.

The Sindh cabinet in order to implement Supreme Court decisions in CP No. 148, 149 and 150 has approved the revival of Police Order 2002 as stood in 2001 and as it is applicable in the Punjab, however, the law has been referred to the standing committee of the provincial Sindh Assembly for considering certain amendments and consulting with all the stakeholders to make it a progressive law for establishing modern, responsible and responsive policing.

Price Control: Discussing the mechanism for controlling the prices of essential commodities during Ramzan, the cabinet decided to empower divisional, district and sub-divisional administration to control price effectively. The chief minister directed the chief secretary to hold a meeting with all the divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners through video link and direct them to check the prices, stock and record of essential commodities.

The chief minister also directed minister local government to work on a plan in consultation with the chief secretary to accommodate displaced shopkeepers of Saddar area into parking plaza which could also be developed into a market.

Safe Cities Authority: The chief minister said that the objective of establishing Sindh Safe Cities Authority Act, 2019 was to ensure the safety and security of the citizens. He added that for the purpose of construction, development and maintenance of a city-wide integrated command, control and communication system within the province, it was expedient to establish an authority.

The authority would have a 15-member body under Chief Minister Sindh and home secretary would be its vice chairman. In absence of the chairman the vice chairman would be authorized to take all its decisions. The secretaries of different departments would be its members and it would have a Director General to run day-to-day affairs. The cabinet approved the law and referred it to the assembly.

Valuation of Immovable Properties: The Board of Revenue (BoR) presented an item Revision of Catagories and Ehancement of Valuation of Immovable Properties in urban areas of the province. Senior Member BoR giving a presentation said that the provincial government notifies Valuation table of immovable properties under Section 27-A of the Stamp Act, 1899.

The valuation table consists of two components, catagories of areas and fixing the category-wise rates. The urban areas are classified upto seven catagories depending on divergence of particular urban area. The notified catagories are A-I, I, II, III, IV, V & VI. The rates have also been notified for each city/urban area comprising each category.

Last revision in catagories was made in 2001. The rates of valuation table were also last revised in 2016. Those rates are far below the fair market value as valuation table notified by FBR. The BoR also proposed 20 percent enhancement in the rates.

The cabinet directed Minister Revenue Makhdoom Mahboob to review each and every category and proposed enhancement in the rates and place it again before the next cabinet meeting.

Continuation of Releif in Thar: Sindh Cabinet after thorough discussion decided to continue relief activities in drought affected areas with previous mechanism of distribution of wheat at the scale of 50 kg per family per month for further three months till normalization of drought situation. The cabinet directed the food department to provide 814,110 wheat bags of 50 kgs for 280370 families to DC Tharparkar for three months which would be fourth, fifth and sixth phases.

The cabinet also approved Rs100 million for transportation charges of wheat from godowns to Tharparkar.

Gutka & Manpuri: The Sindh cabinet discussed and approved the Sindh Prohibition of Preparation, manufacturing, Storage, Sale and Use of Gutka and Manpuri Bill 2019. The cabinet observed that Gutka and Manpuri were causing cancer, therefore it must be banned. The bill was referred to Sindh Assembly.

Sheesha Smoking Bill : The Sindh Cabinet discussed draft for Sindh Prohibition of Sheesha Smkoing Bill 2019 under which manufacture, sale, use or import has been proposed to be banned. The individual or any person found involved in sheesha smoking would be tried under the Code of Criminal Procedure 1998.

The cabinet constituted a committee under Minister Environment & IT Taimore Talpur, Energy Minister Imtiaz Shaikh and, Murtaza wahab to examine each and every clause of the draft bills and then present them within next 15 days for approval.