KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah Wednesday approved a police plan to introduce E-tagging of repeat offenders for which 7,500 offenders have been identified to be E-tagged in the first phase.

He took this decision while presiding over a meeting here at CM House which was attended by Chief Secretary Mumtaz Shah, Advisor to CM for law Murtaza Wahab, IG Police Mushtaq Maher, Addl IG Karachi Ghulam Nabi Memon, PSCM Fayyaz Jatoi, Home Secretary Saeed Mangnijo, DIGs, Sharjeel Kharal, Nasir Aftab and others.

The chief minister said that in his last meeting against street crime had directed the police to start extensive patrolling and take strict action against street criminals.

He also said that he had directed the police and administration to start removing drug addicts from the streets and such other places. At this the Addl IG Police said that from January to Feb 28, some 143 encounters were held against the street criminals in which 143 criminals were killed and 147 injured. He added that 1446 criminals have been arrested.

The chief minister was told that patrolling has been increased in Karachi and intelligence-based targeted operations are also in progress. As far as E-tagging of the repeat offenders, the IG Police disclosed that 7500 offenders have been identified who are either on bail or at large.

Advisor on law Barrister Murtaza Wahab said that a draft law for E-tagging of repeat offenders has been prepared and sent for vetting. The chief minister formally approved the proposal of E-tagging of repeat criminals and directed his law advisor to expedite its vetting so that it could be discussed and approved in the cabinet.

Giving progress of arranging a Rehabilitation Centre for drug addicts Chief Secretary Syed Mumtaz Ali Shah said that he has identified a suitable place at Gulshan-e-Maymar where drug addicts would be rehabilitated.

At this the chief minister directed the chief secretary to provide all the required facilities at the proposed centre so that police could start lifting the drug addicts from the streets and send them there for rehabilitation.

“The drug addicts are involved in street crime, therefore their removal from the street was most important,” he said. Discussing the cancellation of bails of repeat criminals and strengthening prosecution, Syed Murad Ali Shah directed Advisor law and IG Police to engage a panel of leading lawyers so that they could be engaged for prosecution of criminals and cancellation of their bails.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022