Purchasing and selling stolen mobile phones: CM directs IGP to start crackdown against shopkeepers

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that with the political will of the government and the hard work of the police and Rangers, street crimes has come down from 254 per day in January 2024 to 170 in April 2024.

“When we took over [Sindh government] in the last week of February 2024, there were 152 cases of street crime per day and now, we have controlled them to 170 per day but we are not satisfied with the crime rate and controlling it further,” he said.

The statement issued from the CM House said that the IG Police Ghulam Nabi Memon called on the Sindh CM and briefed him about the overall law & order in the province, particularly the street crimes in Karachi.

The IG Police briefing the CM said that in January the street crime rate per day was 254, in February 252, in March 245 and in April it came down to 170. At this, the CM said that it was considerable that the street crime has come down, but it must be controlled further.

To a question, IG police told the CM that the police had conducted a complete survey under which 3,000 scrap dealers were working in the city, of them 354 have been identified as dealers of stolen scrap. He disclosed that 32 teams were constituted to keep an eye on them and were doing a good job.

The CM was told that the police have registered 77 FIRs, arrested several scrap dealers, and recovered engines and other stolen vehicle materials, and steel grills removed from the main roads.

The CM directed the IG police not to tolerate vehicle theft or lifting and to go hard against the culprits dealing with stolen material. Sindh CM directed IG Police to start a similar action against the shopkeepers dealing with stolen mobile phones. “I want you [IGP] to start a crackdown against the shopkeepers purchasing and selling stolen mobile phones or their spare parts,” he said.

At this, the IG police told the CM that such action was in progress and its details would be shared with him within a week.

Security-4 project: The chief minister told the IG Police that he has already released Rs1.4 billion for the Security-4 project under which CCTV cameras are to be installed at all the Toll plazas of the city and other exit and entry points. At this, the IG Police Ghulam Nabi Memon told the CM that out of 48 toll plazas 40 have been equipped with CCTV cameras and connected with the main Command & Control Center at CCPO.

The CM was told that 90 per cent of CCTV camera installation work had been completed and the remaining would be completed within the next one and half months. At this the CM said that he would inaugurate the S-4 project by the end of June, therefore it must be completed accordingly.

The CM directed IG Police to intensify the ongoing operation against the dacoits in the Kutcha area. He said that the abduction of child Mohammad Hussain Arain from Pano Aqil was unacceptable. “How the dacoits dare to barge in the houses and kidnap the child,” he questioned and directed the IG to get the child recovered and keep in constant touch with the family.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024