KARACHI: In a shocking revelation in view of rising street crimes, Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Syed Murad Ali Shah was told by Karachi Police Chief Ghulam Nabi Memon that 7,500 repeat offenders in Karachi are either on bails or at large.
This was disclosed in a meeting on Karachi’s law and order situation at CM House on Wednesday.
Presiding over the meeting, the chief minister approved a police plan to introduce e-tagging of repeat offenders, for which 7,500 of them have been identified in the first phase.
He recalled the orders given to the police, in the last meeting regarding street crimes in Karachi, of starting extensive patrolling and taking strict action against street criminals.
The police chief apprised the participants that from January to Feb 28, some 143 encounters were carried out against the street criminals, in which 143 criminals were killed and 147 injured. He added that 1,446 criminals have been arrested.
The chief minister was told that patrolling has been increased in the megacity and intelligence-based targetted operations were also being conducted.
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As for e-tagging of the repeat offenders, the police chief disclosed that 7,500 offenders have been identified who are either on bail or at large.
The Law Adviser Murtaza Wahab said that a legal draft for e-tagging of repeat offenders has been prepared and sent for vetting.
The CM formally approved the proposal of e-tagging of repeat criminals and directed his law adviser to expedite the vetting process so that it could be discussed and approved by the cabinet.
Discussing the cancellation of bails of repeat criminals and strengthening prosecution, the chief minister directed the law adviser and IG to engage a panel of leading lawyers.
The CM also directed the police to arrange prosecution through competent private lawyers in high-profile cases. “I want to put a sizable number of lawyers on a panel and the complainant of the case will have the choice to select any lawyer out of the panel to prosecute his case,” he said.
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CM Shah said he had directed the police and administration to start removing drug addicts from the streets and other places.
Sharing the progress of establishing a rehabilitation centre for drug addicts, Sindh Chief Secretary Mumtaz Ali Shah said he has identified a suitable place in the Gulshan-e-Maymar area where drug addicts would be rehabilitated.
At this, CM Shah directed the chief secretary to provide all required facilities at the proposed centre so that police could start lifting the drug addicts from the streets and send them there for rehabilitation. “The drug addicts are involved in street crimes, therefore their removal from the street is most important,” he said.
