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Karachi, August 01, 2015 (PPI-OT):Additional Inspector General of Police, Mushtaq Ahmed Maher, while agreeing to the suggestion raised by KCCI, assured that the ongoing Karachi operation, which has successfully achieved numerous objectives since its inception, will continue until it attains the logical conclusion.
“The logical conclusion of Karachi Operation will surely ensure progress and prosperity for the entire country. If Karachi city stands up on its feet, the entire country will also stand up on its feet and head towards progress and prosperity”, he added.
Exchanging views during his visit to the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) on Saturday, AIG stated that although the incident pertaining to target killings, kidnapping for ransom and demand for extortion etc. have reduced drastically due to ongoing Karachi Operation but the street crimes were still high and now it was police department’s top priority to devise an strategy for effectively dealing with this menace as well.
Vice Chairman Businessmen Group and Former President KCCI, Anjum Nisar, President KCCI Iftikhar Ahmed Vohra, Vice President KCCI, Agha Shahab Ahmed Khan, Chairman Law and Order Sub-Committee KCCI Asif Chamdia, Chairman Special Committee for My Karachi Exhibition Muhammad Idrees, Former Presidents KCCI AQ Khalil, Majyd Aziz and Haroon Agar, Former SVPs KCCI Shamim Ahmed Firpo and Younus M Bashir along with KCCI Managing Committee members and high officials of police department were present on the occasion.
AIG Police further commented that thanks to various strategies adopted for Karachi Operation, target killings have been brought down to hardly two incidents a day as compared to around 7 to 8 killings happening every day prior to commencement of this crucial operation.
Commenting on rising street crimes all over the city, he informed that police department has identified at least 40 to 50 looting points in various areas from where the street crimes were frequently being reported particularly during traffic jams.
To effectively deal with the situation and keeping in view the limited resources of police department, AIG sought business and industrial community’s assistance in securing these looting points by extending assistance in installing street lights and surveillance cameras. Businessmen and industrialists must also extend support in clearing encroachments in these localities which usually cause traffic jams and provide a perfect opportunity to criminals to take advantage of the situation and easily flee from the spot.
He also advised KCCI and other trade associations of the city to adopt streets in their respective areas and act in association with police department against encroachments, traffic violations, double parking issue and other issues causing traffic jams in their areas.
Mushtaq Maher said that it was one of his foremost priorities to improve functioning and efficiency of police stations which were in a very bad shape. To a question regarding abrupt transfers and postings of police officers, he said that it affects the performance of police and should not happen.
Unfortunately, SHOs are immediately suspended or transferred as soon as an incident occurs in their areas which was not the solution to the problem. Instead of transferring the SHO, a timeframe should be given to investigate and apprehend the culprits responsible for the incident while action against concerned police officer should only be taken if he fails to deliver, he added.
He said that although police officers were being referred to him for posting in various localities by concerned SSPs and it was his authority to take be decision but this will now be done in consultation with representatives of the business community.
Speaking on the occasion, Vice Chairman Businessmen Group and Former President KCCI, Anjum Nisar appreciated the efforts being made by police towards resorting peace and stability in Karachi. Anjum Nisar, while underscoring the need to have efficient, dedicated and honest police force, urged federal and provincial governments to enhance financial resources of Sindh Police on SOS basis whereas the standard of living of police officers and their families must also be improved.
President KCCI Iftikhar Ahmed Vohra, while welcoming AIG Mushtaq Maher, stressed the need to create a strong liaison between police and KCCI with a view to promptly resolve the grievances being faced by businessmen and industrialists in dealing with issues pertaining to law and order.
Iftikhar Vohra, while expressing satisfaction over the progress and achievements of Karachi Operation, stressed that this operation must continue with a view to completely restore peace in cosmopolitan city of Karachi. He further advised the AIG to devise an effective strategy for dealing with street crimes and demanded that stern action against criminals must continue on long term basis with a view to completely cleanse this city from these elements.
On behalf of BMG leadership and KCCI, Iftikhar Vohra extended full support to police department in their quest to restore complete peace and stability in Karachi which would not only help in improving the business environment but also attract foreign investment in this city. “We would like to see Karachi as one of most peaceful cities of the world”, he added.
Although efforts were being made to maintain peace in Karachi but it is a matter of grave concern that other serious issues were constantly being neglected. Dilapidated infrastructure, poor sanitation conditions, severe traffic jams, rising encroachments were also some of the pressing issues being suffered by Karachiites but unfortunately Sindh government was not paying any attention to these issues, President KCCI said, adding that besides focusing on law and order situation, the Sindh government must also pay attention to civic issues.
He also suggested that neighbourhood policing system should be introduced in all localities of the city which would help in bringing down the street crimes and the number of police officer deployed on the duty of VVIP movement and protocol should also be curtailed while the politicians and other VVIPs, who require security, should acquire the services of private security guards so that police officers could discharge their duties for the citizens inhabiting in their respective areas.
Vice President KCCI, Agha Shahab stressed that the Karachi operation should not come to end halfway and it must reach a logical conclusion so that durable peace and stability could be ensured across the cosmopolitan city.
Former President KCCI AQ Khalil, on the occasion, suggested that police mobiles on VIP movements duty should be painted with a different colour which would help in exactly gauging how many police mobile were being used for protocol movement and how many mobile were available at police stations for providing security to citizens.
For more information, contact:
Aamir Hassan
Director Press/Electronic Media and Public Relations
Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI)
Aiwan-e-Tijarat Road, Off Shahrah-e-Liaquat,
Karachi-74000
Phone: +92-21-99218001-09
Fax: +92-21-99218040
Email: info@kcci.com.pk, secretary@kcci.com.pk
Website: www.kcci.com.pk