Sindh policing plan to be presented to cabinet for approval

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, presiding over a meeting of the Public Safety & Police Complaints Commission on Saturday, decided to present the Annual Policing Plan before the cabinet and ordered proper redressal of public complaints being received against the police.

The meeting was attended by all permanent members, MPAs Sharjeel Memon, Imdad Pitafi, Shamim Mumtaz, Mohammad Ali Aziz of the PTI, Hasnain Mirza of the GDA, private members Karamat Ali, Haji Nazim, Barrister Haya Imam, Rubina Brohi, advocate Jhamat Mal and Qurban Malano. Chief Secretary Mumtaz Shah, Home Secretary Usman Chachar and IGP Dr Kaleem Imam were invited to the meeting when their relevant matters came under discussion.

IGP Imam at the meeting once again presented a police plan in which he had incorporated the suggestions given by the commission members earlier. The chief minister said that the cabinet was authorised to approve the plan; therefore, he directed the secretary of the commission to submit it through the home secretary for discussion in the next cabinet meeting.

One of the members of the commission asked the IGP to present the details of his visits and tours he had made out of the city. At this, the chief minister intervened and said the commission was not authorised to question the visits of the IGO.

Inquiry against police officers

The IGP presented a list of 23 officers against whom inquiries or disciplinary actions had been recommended during 2019. They include then additional IGP Hyderabad Ghulam Sarwar Jamali (now retired); ADIP Crime Branch Pervaiz Khan Umrani, SSP East Azfar Mahesar, RPO Sukkur Zulfikar Shah (now retired), DPO Sukkur Aitezaz Goraya, SSP Mirpurkhas Javed Baloch, SP Traffic Aijaz hashmi, SP Gulshan Tahir Noorani, Kamran Rashid, SSP District Malir Kamran Rashid, SSP Malir Anwar Khan (now retired), Principal SCTC Sakrand Sarwar Abro, SP Investigation-I South Khalid Koraie, SP Traffic Nisar Channa, DIG SRP Karachi Farooq Azam, SP CTD Yakoob Alamni, SP Umerkot Aijaz Shaikh, SP Investigation CTD Ghulam Murtaza, Altaf Leghari, SDPO Saudabad Faheem Farooqui, DSP Intellignece Landhi Nayyar-ul-Haq, SDPO SITE Hyderabad Dost Mohammad Mangrio and DSP Surjani Zahid Hussain.

The IGP in his written report said that the report of their misconduct and the statement of allegations had been filed with the chief secretary through the home department. The chief minister directed the chief secretary to file to him a report on what action had been taken against them.

Complaints

A complaint against SP Malir Tahir Noorani filed by journalist Shakeel Naich came under discussion. The IGP said in his report that the inquiry against the SP had been assigned to DIG Javed Akbar Riaz. The commission said it would wait till the receipt of the inquiry report. The chief minister said that the Malir Bar Association had also filed a complaint against Tahir Noorani. The IGP said that Tahir Noorani was awaiting posting while it emerged that he was posted in Malir. The chief minister sought a report from the home secretary in this regard.

The complaint of Nadeem Ahmed was also discussed. Ahmed in his complaint said that the Kharadar police had registered a false and fabricated FIR against him; therefore, he had requested its disposal in B-Class. The IGP said that the SDPO Kharadar hasd requested him to refer the complaint to the SP Investigation -II South. The report of the SP was awaited.

Another complaint of Malik Altaf Hussain on behalf of Major (retd) Hamid Hussain was received that he was developing his land at Deh Jam Chakro, Manghopir, when armed men intruded and opened fire. The complaint says that he may be given protection and allowed to work at his land.

The IGP said in his report that a case had been registered and challaned in the court of law and the DIG West had been directed to adopt security measures as requested by the complainant. The complaint was disposed of.

The complaint of Asif Maher also came under discussion in which he said that Ex-SSP Niaz Khoso was exerting pressure on him to usurp his precious land at Sukkur. The IGP said the inquiry had been ordered and the report was awaited.

The chief minister also approved a scheme to renovate the office of the commission at barracks so that the commission could be housed at a better place to do its work smoothly.

The commission constituted a five-member committee to go through the Rules and Regulations of the Commission, its powers and their implementation. The committee would submit its report within 30 days.

Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah while chairing the meeting said that in the year 2013 Karachi ranked at sixth or seventh place on the global crime index, but it now stands at 93rd position on the same crime index. He said the law and order situation of the city had been improving day by day and this reflected the will of the government. He said the people of Karachi had rendered support for bringing about improvement in the law and order situation.

Numbeo, an international survey-based organization which provides data on cities and various indicators of living conditions around the world, put Karachi at the 93rd spot on its current crime index. Last month, Karachi was listed at the 88th spot, while the list showed a gradual decrease in the ratio of crime in the city during the past three years.