Zero tolerance for Gutka, mawa, mainpuri sellers: Additional IG Karachi

KARACHI: The Additional IG Karachi, Ghulam Nabi Memon, has warned of zero tolerance policy against those selling Gutka, mawa and mainpuri who can face imprisonment for up to ten year under section 337-J.

He said suspects arrested for drug peddling get bailed out due to lack of laboratory reports since the chemical examination laboratory is inactive in Sindh. Memon said three DNA experts are being deputed in every police station. “In the past, Rs22,000 were spent for one DNA test but these experts will do the same job and are being trained with the collaboration of the University of Karachi,” he said. He said drug addicts are also involved in street crimes. The addl IG Karachi said only five per cent citizens complain about mobile phone snatching, which helps 95 per cent criminals against whom their is neither a complaint nor any testimony.” He said vehicle search will now be conducted with the help of automatic systems instead of doing it manually.

Memon said for the first time, tests and interviews are being conducted for the appointment of SHOs and only those who passed the tests are only being appointed as SHOs on merit. “The merit based appointed SHO will run the police station positively and efficiently,” he said. “For the first time, the police officials and personnel are arrested and dismissed from service.” The Karachi police chief said three model police stations have been established in the city and each model police station will have ten different sections such as operation team, investigation team, forensic team, IT team and interrogation room. The model police stations will have also DNA experts, computer operators, biometric, IT and CDR,” he explained.

Memon said roughly over 9000 drug peddlers are arrested in a current year but they get freed on bails from the courts due to the lack of laboratory reports. He said the recovered drugs are sent to the chemical laboratory in Lahore, but the chemical examiner could not come all the way from Lahore to appear before the court in every case and his absence benefits the criminals. Memon said as many 96 cases have so far been registered against the Gutka, mawa and mainpuri suppliers in the last three days.