19,020 criminals, including 1,311 target killers, 398 terrorists, 442 extortionists, and 16,869 other criminals arrested during 450-day Karachi operation, reveals Sindh IGP
Sindh Inspector General Police (IGP) Ghulam Haider Jamali said Monday that a “sizeable decline” in almost all heads of crime has been witnessed during the ongoing targeted operation in Karachi.
“The police has been focusing against terrorism, target killings, kidnapping for ransom and extortion. Due to the pro-active policing and targeted police action, 640 kidnappers, extortionists, terrorists and other criminals have been killed in different police encounters, whereas 19,020 have been arrested,” he said.
He was talking to the participants of National Police Academy 41st Specialized Training Programme in the Central Police Office.
The details of the total arrests revealed that 1,311 target killers, 398 terrorists, 442 extortionists, and 16,869 other criminals were nabbed. The police chief maintained that the ongoing targeted operation in Karachi was being conducted in proper coordination with Pakistan Rangers “across the board and without any discrimination”.
The participants were also informed that during the year 2014, a total of 177 police personnel embraced martyrdom in the entire province while fighting against the crimes. According to the breakup, 132 policemen in Karachi, 26 in Hyderabad, 10 in Larkana, six in Shaheed Benazirabad, two in Sukkur and one in Mirpurkhas Ranges embraced martyrdom.
Jamali, while commenting over measures to curb the practice of karo kari, said that the Sindh Police and United Nation Development Programme (UNDP) had jointly established anti-karo kari cells for proper follow up of these cases.
“Sindh Police has also established Human Rights Cells in all the districts. A helpline 1213 has also been launched in Sukkur region”, he added. He further revealed that to eradicate illegal jirga system, Sindh Police has registered 35 criminal cases during 2013 and 2014.
The participants of the training programme were informed that various capacity building measures have been adopted to enhance professional acumen of policemen. Moreover, intelligence-led policing and counter-terrorism initiatives have been taken in addition to specialised training courses, said the police chief. Similarly, the forensic division is being upgraded and will include a DNA laboratory within the premises of Sindh Police Forensic, he said.
“The existing central command and control centre is also being upgraded and 2,000 more surveillance cameras will be installed soon at 400 new locations,” the participants were told.