Setting up of crime monitoring board under consideration: IGP

Inspector General Police Sindh, Fayyaz Leghari on Saturday said that setting up of a crime monitoring board was under consideration. Addressing members of Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (Kati), Leghari said after the Chief Minister's approval, representatives of Kati would be inducted into the board.
He advised business community to lodge FIR of all the cases and cooperate with police to apprehend culprits involved in criminal activities. Leghari said police have arrested 35 gangs involved in kidnapping for ransom and extortion. He was of the view that non-registration of FIR helps criminals carry out their nefarious activities with impunity.
Leghari admitted that rising cases of kidnapping for ransom and extortion were defaming the image of the police department. He assured business community of effective steps to curb heinous crimes. He said the department has already approved provision of cell-phone locators to concerned authorities.
He said he himself is in contact with former President of FPCCI, S M Muneer to monitor the situation in KIA and would be holding such meetings in future as well. Leghari announced that '15' would be revamped for effective crime reporting and police action.
Karachi CCPO Saud Mirza said a summery for setting up separate Korangi police station has been sent for approval. He said the number of police officials engaged in security duties of VVIPs, VIPs will be reduced and this force will be posted in areas where crime rate is high. He said vigilance will be strengthened at 12 exit and entry points of Korangi industrial area.
S M Muneer expressed disappointment over the deteriorating law and order condition in the city saying it was causing billions of rupees loss to industrialists and traders. He said increase in utility charges and high interest rates have almost crippled the economic activities. Mental and physical torture by extortion mafia also adding to the woes of traders.
Kati Chairman Syed Johar Ali Qandhari demanded of the IGP to immediately set up checkposts at 12 entry and exit points of Korangi Industrial Area in order to have effective police monitoring in the country's largest industrial area. Johar said that CPLC should be provided facilities for monitoring of crimes and kidnapping for ransom. Former Chairman, Mian Zahid Husain in his address painted a bleak picture of trade and industry especially in relation to poor law and order situation and harassment of businessmen by gangsters. He said due to frequent increases in utility tariffs and POL prices, the industry has been badly hit.
He pointed out that most of the crimes are being carried through mobile phones and government should provide mobile phone locators to Karachi police. Former Chairman of KATI, Gulzar Firoz said that some gangs are looting people through issuing fake pay orders and the staff of certain banks was involved in this racket. The CPLC chief announced that a CPLC regional office is being established at Korangi Industrial Area. Kati's Chairman Standing Committee on Law and Order, Nadeem, Vice Chairman, Shahid Javed Qureshi and DIG Karachi, Saud Mirza also spoke on the occasion.