——– Memon presents updates on ongoing operation in katcha area, situation improved
——– Adds law & order is not only Sindh’s problem, but is national issue
——– Decides to replace Karachi Police Chief only 15 days after appointment
From Zeeshan Mirza
KARACHI: An anti-bandit operation ongoing in katcha area and the situation has improved, provincial minister Sharjeel Memon claimed here while talking to media on Tuesday.
Information Minister Sharjeel Memon said that the law and order is not only Sindh’s problem, but also a nationwide issue.
He said, 11 outlaws have been killed in encounters in April in Karachi, while 60 accused were arrested in injured condition. “Overall, 104 accused arrested this month,” Sindh’s minister said. He said those involved in murders during robberies are mostly illegal immigrants. He suggested compensation for the families of the street crime victims dying during crime.
“If the MQM intends politicking over street crimes, we don’t care about their any line of action”, he said. “Sindh’s home minister and IG Sindh Police are present in Shikarpur,” commenting on situation in katcha area the minister said. “We will soon control the situation,” he said.
Provincial information minister blamed the caretaker government for worsening law and order in the province.
He claimed that 13 hostages have been recovered in Ghotki, Kashmore and other areas in last 15 days. “Three abductees of Shikarpur have also been recovered,” he said. “Six persons were saved from being kidnapped under honey trap,” he said. He said police and rangers conducting targeted operation in katcha area.
Earlier, The Sindh government has decided to remove the Karachi police chief due to a surge in street crimes in the metropolis.
The incoming fourth-consecutive PPP government has decided to replace Additional IG Karachi Imran Yaqoob only 15 days after his appointment to the top post. Javed Alam Odhu, who had earlier served as Karachi police chief, is top contender to replace Yaqoob.
Earlier, the caretaker Sindh government had appointed Khadim Hussain Rind as the new Karachi Additional Inspector General of Police (AIG) in September 2023.
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Riffat Mukhtar giving a presentation to the CM last month said that during the last two months, 23 people were killed during robberies, 3953 mobile phones, 46 four-wheelers, and 1537 two-wheelers were snatched.
To a question, the IGP police told the CM that street crimes are high within the limits of 22 police stations in Karachi. The CM directed the IGP to provide him with a list of 22 vulnerable police stations in terms of street crime and identify the hotspots so that special focus could be given to them. Murad Ali Shah directed the city police chief to get all his SSPs on the roads in the evening time. He added that street crime mostly started after sunset, directing the police to ensure police presence on the roads to control them.
