Sindh Home Secretary claims…‘Pakistan makes notable progress in global crime rankings’

KARACHI: In a significant development, Pakistan has made notable progress in global crime rankings, moving from the fourth to the 128th place, according to Home Secretary Ejaz Ali Shah.

This revelation came during a visit by Shah to the Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI), where he also highlighted the Safe City project in Karachi as a top priority.

Shah emphasized that the agreements for the Safe City project had been finalized, paving the way for the installation of 10 thousand surveillance cameras across Karachi.

One of the key components of this initiative is the “Talash” software, developed by Sindh Police, which possesses the capability to recognize faces and track vehicle number plates, thereby storing critical data related to criminal elements.

Shedding light on the positive outcomes of government efforts, Shah remarked that the Sindh government’s solutions to transport challenges had led to a 10% reduction in traffic congestion, with motorcycles forming the majority of traffic.

He also indicated that initiatives were underway to segregate motorcycle and bus lanes on Shahrah-e-Faisal, while stricter enforcement of traffic rules and digitized challans were proposed to eliminate corruption.

Moreover, Home Secretary Ejaz Ali Shah announced the formation of a task force to tackle drug-related issues within schools, accompanied by a campaign to enhance parental awareness.

He urged parents to monitor their children’s activities closely and take an active role in curbing drug promotion.

KATI President Faraz-ur-Rehman, drew attention to the challenging economic climate, emphasizing that 25% of Pakistan’s exports flowed through KATI. He underlined the crucial role of the cottage industry in the nation’s industrialization, noting Mehran Town’s significance in sustaining this sector. Regrettably, rising unemployment and widespread layoffs in industries, affecting up to 60% of workers, have become concerning trends.

Faraz-ur-Rehman highlighted the growing grievances within the industry, citing public protests against soaring electricity costs as a catalyst for frustration, leading to an uptick in criminal activities driven by despair.

He warned that escalating unemployment was directly linked to a surge in street crime, even suggesting that external police intervention would struggle to suppress the rising tide of crimes.

Zubair Chhaya, Deputy Patron-in-Chief of KATI, articulated the country’s political and economic turmoil, advocating for industrialization as the ultimate solution. Chhaya emphasized the necessity of creating a conducive environment for industrial growth and credited the efforts of Police and Rangers, who had made substantial sacrifices. He underscored the perilous conditions posed by dilapidated roads, which had transformed into breeding grounds for criminal elements.

Furthermore, Danish Khan, Chairman of the Standing Committee, drew attention to the staggering inflation rates that had emerged over the past year and a half, resulting in the closure of industries.

Expressing concerns about a potential 20% industry shutdown rate, Khan warned that if this trend persisted, it could trigger massive unemployment and potentially drive people towards protest or criminal activities.

In light of these challenges, the discussions at KATI underscored the need for collaborative technological solutions and policy changes to address rising crime rates, unemployment, and economic instability. The presented shield to Sindh Home Secretary Ejaz Ali Shah symbolized a recognition of these shared concerns and the commitment to finding viable solutions.

Deputy Patron-in-Chief Zubair Chhaya, Senior Vice President Nighat Awan, Vice President Muslim Muhammedi, Standing Committee Chairman Danish Khan, Former Chairmen/President Masood Naqi, Syed Johar Ali Qandhari, Sheikh Umar Rehan, Sheikh Fazle Jalil, Ehteshamuddin, UBG leader Hanif Gohar, Ikhtiar Baig, Haji Rafique Pardesi and others were also present.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023