The city police chief, AIG Mushtaq Ahmed Mahar said here on Wednesday that police was making all-out efforts to control increasing incidence of street crimes despite having insufficient funds. "Though we have successfully maintained law and order in the country's biggest city, still the rising incidence of street crimes is a major challenge for the police," he added.
Speaking to members of Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) during his visit to REAP House, the AIG disclosed that efforts are under way to eliminate three criminal groups which are involved in street crimes and killing of police personnel in the city. He said that police has identified some 35 places or streets where street crimes have been occurring due to absence of street lights and non-availability of CCTV cameras and these places include Defence View, ICI Bridge, Tipu Sultan traffic intersection and Sub-marine roundabout.
He said that KMC has been asked to make proper street-lighting arrangements at all those places identified as favourite spots of street crimes, whereas efforts are under way by police to install CCTV cameras at the roundabouts where such criminal activities are rampant. In this regard, he pointed out that police required between Rs 2.5 and Rs 3 million for installing some 20 cameras on each point. He also informed that police in collaboration with business community has taken special measures for improving law and order situation in the city's industrial areas and as a result of which most of industrial areas and business centres were now enjoying peaceful environment.
Vowing to maintain a close liaison with the business community, Mahar said that deployment of police personnel and appointments of station house officers (SHOs) were being made with the consent of the business community. Earlier, REAP's senior vice chairman Noman Ahmed Sheikh lauded the efforts of police in restoring peace in the city and extended full co-operation of business community to the police.
He said that although several police officials have been martyred during Karachi operation, still the police's morale was high. He said that businessmen could now freely move in the city's industrial areas because of security measures taken by police. Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry's (FPCCI) senior vice president Abdul Raheem Jano, SITE's chairman Juneed Makda, Faisal Wavda, DIG-South Muneer Sheikh, SSP Gulshan Sardar Hasan Khan Niazi, Javed Jillani, Nadeem Polani, Anwar Mian Noor, Safdar Mehkari and others were also present.