CM orders security audit of shrines, holy places

Chief Minister of Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah has decided to conduct security audit of all the shrines, mosques, temples, churches and such other holy places of worship, public and important places. "We all have to place efficient system to fight against terrorists."
He expressed these views while presiding over a meeting to review security of shrines, holy places and other public places at the CM House on Saturday. The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Rizwan Memon, IG Sindh AD Khowaja, Additional IG Karachi Mushtaq Maher and Additional IG CTD Sanaullah Abbasi. Latter the meeting was joined by Special Assistant to CM Auqaf Ghulam Shah, Secretary Auqaf Riaz Soomro and other concerned officials.
Briefing the chief minister IG Police AD Khowaja said that the blast took place at 7.1 pm while it was power outage on the spot. The Secretary Auqaf cleared that it was not outage but the Hesco has disconnected power connection of the shrine. The chief secretary confirmed the report and said that the Hesco had issued an electricity bill of Rs 40 million to the Shrine and disconnected the connection against non-payment.
The chief minister expressing displeasure said that after reconciliation of total outstanding bills with Water and Power Ministry, Sindh government is paying installments on the agreed schedule. It was also agreed with the ministry that no connection of Sindh government would be disconnected against non-payment. "How Hesco dared to disconnect power connection of the main shrine, this is unacceptable," CM said and directed the commissioner Hyderabad who was on the video link to direct HESCO for restore the electricity of the shrine by the evening, otherwise face the music.
After talking to Hesco CEO, the Commissioner told the CM that some illegal connections were taken from the main line of the Shrine; therefore they have disconnected the connection of the shrine. On this the chief minister said that instead of removing illegal connections, the Hesco has disconnected main connection of the shrine. This is crime and he would take strict action if they failed to reconnect electricity of the shrine.
The IG police said that there are clear similarities with the incident of Shikarpur blast and police has arrested few people to trace the incident.He told that some evidences have been collected from the shrine and they were being sent to Lahore for lab test. The chief minister constituted a committee under Additional IG CTD Sanaullah Abbasi to investigate the case from different angels and work it out at the earliest.
The divisional commissioners briefed the chief minister about the number of shrines, holy places of different religions and sects and told him that they have beefed up their security. The chief minister said that each and every shrine and places of worship of others religious have to be provided necessary security. He directed IG to conduct audit of every important place, including shrine, temples, churches, mosques, Imambargahs, hospitals and other public places.
He directed divisional commissioners and DIGs to direct their DCs and SSPS to keep reviewing security on taluka level regularly. "This is most important war against the terrorists and we have to win it with the support of our people," he said. He directed chief secretary to make necessary funds available for security arrangements of the shrines and other important places and put them on the disposal of his Principal Secretary Naveed Kamran Baloch so that they could be released forthwith upon requests. He also took another important decision to construct compound wall around the shrines where they are required and also ordered Chief Secretary and IG police to get all kind of encroachments from and around the shrines. Earlier, the chief minister was given closed-door briefing on the progress of investigation into the case, links, and arrests of suspects made so far by IG police AD Khawaja and Additional IG Police Sanaullah Abbasi.