Public safety commission withdraws resolution against IGP

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The Sindh Public Safety and Police Complaints Commission on Wednesday withdrew its resolution passed against Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dr Kaleem Imam for his second consecutive absence in its meeting held two weeks ago.The resolution was withdrew on the request of the IG police who attended the commission’s meeting yesterday in which he submitted a report to Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, apprising him of recent actions taken against various suspected criminals.The meeting was presided over by the chief minister and the attendees included chief secretary Mumtaz Shah, law adviser Murtaza Wahab, IG police Dr Kaleem Imam, home secretary Usman Chachar, finance secretary Hassan Naqvi. All members of The Sindh Public Safety and Police Complaints Commission were also in attendance. The rules of the commission have been framed and sent to the law department for vetting.In the next meeting the IG police will present an annual police plan. The CM directed him to ensure safety and security of the people.Action against GutkaThe IG police told the meeting that on the instruction of the chief minister, strict action had been taken against manufacturers and smugglers of Gutka and Mainpuri. According the report he submitted to the meeting, police have arrested 6,995 suspects, recovered 3,526,470kg of Gutka and Mainpuri, and also registered 5,714 FIRs against the arrested suspects.The report says 206 factories or units of Gutka and Mainpuri have been sealed and that police have prepared charge sheets in 5,561 cases. According to the report, 1,650 suspects are in jail, 3,470 are on bail, 1,291 have been convicted and 552 have been acquitted.NarcoticsPolice have arrested 11,057 suspects and recovered 12.884kg ice, 72.7kg heroin, 698.922kg hashish, 7619.656kg charas, 186.29kg opium, 180,844 local and 2,353 imported liquor, the report says.According to the report, police sealed 315 factories or units in this regard and also registered 8,995 and prepared charge sheets in 8,507 cases. It says 3,906 suspects are in jail, 4,451 on bail, 901 have been convicted and 1,228 have been acquitted.Iranian dieselPolice have confiscated 1,141,111 litres of Iranian diesel, arrested 448 people and taken action taken against 128 more people, the report says.The chief minister commented that though police had not a responsibility to take action against smuggling of Iranian diesel, he had assigned them the additional task to take action against it as the money generated from the smuggling was used for terrorist activities.Traffic planDIG Traffic Javed Maher briefed the meeting on traffic issues as he presented before the commission an annual.“Karachi is spread over an area of 3,527 square km with an over 10,000 km road network. There are 5.3 million vehicles, including 3.2 million motorcycles, 1.2 million jeeps and cars, 2,9086 taxis and 2,3074 trucks,” he said.It was pointed out that there were 159 traffic signals, including 57 of the cantonment boards and one of National Highway Authority. Some 60 traffic cameras have been installed, of them 162 are at the city’s Central Police Office, 250 at the Karachi Civic Centre and 189 at traffic management services.The meeting was told that the total strength of traffic police was 7,085 with one DIG, eight SSP and 29 DSPs working in the seven districts of the city. “They have been equipped with 164 four-wheel vehicles, including heavy recovery and mini-trucks, lifters, pick-ups and vans,” he said, adding that 605 motorcycles were also available.In 2019, he said, the traffic police issued 3,363,753 tickets and received a total fine of Rs755.8 million which was 30 percent more than the previous year, Javed added. “These tickets were issued against violations of one-way, fancy number plates, tinted glasses, juvenile drivers, poor CNG cylinders, travelling on roof-top, signal jumping and driving without licenses.”According to him, major impediments in traffic issues have been identified, including 91 damaged roads, illegal parking, unlawful constructions along roads, and the absence of taxi, bus and truck stands.Responding to the DIG traffic’s comments, the chief minister said roads were being repaired and the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation had also been carrying out an anti-encroachment drive.It was pointed out Karachi police had registered 97 FIRs and arrested 168 suspects for encroachments on 52 roads. Murad directed the chief secretary to make necessary arrangements for ensuring presence of road signs and markings for convenience and safety.The chief secretary said that on the instructions of the chief minister he had been holding meetings with traffic police in which 147 intersections for lane markings, zebra crossings and the installation of 178 sign boards had been identified in Karachi.When the meeting was informed that 31 commercial buildings had converted their parking spaces into shops and warehouses, he the chief secretary responded that notices had been issued to the building owners to restore their parking spaces.In the meeting, it was suggested that a plan for the utilisation of the Lines Area Parking Plaza and the Bara Dari Basement Parking should be envisaged. Three grounds – namely the Railway Ground near GPO, the China Ground at Kashmir Road and a vacant plot in Hassan Square – were suggested to be utilised for parking. The chief minister directed the chief secretary and the IG Police to review the proposal. The meeting was told that traffic issues had also been emerged due to 33 ongoing development projects, including the projects of BRTs. In the meeting it was also pointed out that there were 159 signals in the city, of them 33 were out of order. The chief minister ordered their repair.Flyover and underpassesThe DIG traffic, in his plan, suggested construction of a bypass road from West Wharf to Northern Bypass along the sea shore and on the back side of Machhar Colony.He also recommended construction of Southern Bypass to divert the heavy traffic flow from the KPT to Korangi Industrial area via sea view Clifton Beach, construction of an interchange bridge at the ICI junction, construction of a head bridge from the PIDC Bridge to the TPX Container Yard along M T Khan Road.The chief minister said these projects had already been included in the Karachi Package and the local government minister was holding consultative meetings for the purpose.

from The News International - Karachi https://ift.tt/2YZNpB8
The News International - Karachi