The provincial home minister has declared the next 72 hours crucial owing to possible terror attacks in the city but the law enforcement agencies (LEAs) are finding it difficult to collaborate due to the division of authority and resources between local and provincial governments, especially with reference to the Command and Control (C&C) surveillance system.
Briefing the media on Saturday, Sindh Home Minister Manzoor Wasan had described the measures taken by his department to cope with any untoward situation, saying that Muharram 8, 9 and 10 will be crucial due to threats of attacks on mourning processions.
However, talking with Pakistan Today, another Home Department official said that it would be difficult to manage Ashura processions, particularly on the 9th and 10th of Muharram as the department does not have access to the C&C system.
“Although the Home Department has taken foolproof security measures for mourning processions utilising all its resources, team work among different LEAs is missing due to absence of any video surveillance system,” he said. “The C&C system would be functioning under the control of Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) but not the provincial department and it may result in a serious security lapse.”
“The home department will have to liaise with the KMC to monitor Ashura processions and point out criminal activities,” he said. “We are in close contact with local government authorities to ensure security during Muharram.”
Recalling the Sindh High Court (SHC)’s verdict of handing over the C&C system to the Home Department, the official said that despite the passage of over nine months, no action has been taken so far.
On February 28, SHC division bench including Justice Gulzar Ahmed and Justice Imam Bux Baloch had ordered constituting a committee headed by the Sindh Special Home Secretary with the Sindh additional inspector general of police, a Pakistan Rangers (Sindh) lieutenant colonel and a grade-19 officer of now-defunct City District Government Karachi as members to supervise the surveillance system.
The Home Department officer said that at the time of high court’s decision, the Sindh additional advocate general had assured the court on behalf of the provincial government that the system would be run under the control of the Home Department.
Meanwhile, Home Department Consultant Sharfuddin Memon told Pakistan Today that the C&C system was yet to be handed over to the Home Department. “The system is working under the KMC but I do not want to indulge in blame games,” he added.
In 2008, an elaborate C&C system, equipped with wireless video security surveillance, was established at the CDGK’s head office at the Civic Centre. The system is aimed at monitoring traffic flows, criminal acts and providing a safe and secure environment.
