Land recovered from dacoits in Ghotki to be given to landless Haris: Qaim Ali Shah

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah has directed the chief secretary Siddique Memon to coordinate with the federal government to frame the madrassa registration policy at the earliest so that they can be registered accordingly.

He said this while presiding over a law and order meeting at the CM House. In a meeting about the implementation of the National Action Plan (NAP), the decisions and progress were reviewed. The meeting was attended by five ministers, Sharjeel Inam Memon, Syed Murad Ali Shah, Sohail Siyal, Dr Sikander Mendhro, Chief Secretary Siddique Memon, Principal Secretary to CM Alamuddin Bullo, Home Secretary Mukhtiar Soomro, IG Sindh Ghulam Hyder Jamali, Additional IG Karachi Ghulam Qadir Thebo, Secretary Katchi Abadies Dr Nawaz Shaikh, Advocate General Sindh and other concerned officers.

Home Secretary Mukhtiar Soomro, while briefing the chief minister, said that in the light of the May 14, 2015, Special Apex Committee meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif decision was taken to set up Counter Terrorism Cell (CTC) in the Corps Headquarters with representatives of all the intelligence agencies. As per decision the CTC has been set up and has started its work.

Talking about establishing an Air Surveillance system the home secretary said that a static balloon camera surveillance system would be established. On this the chief minister directed him to make a detailed presentation to him so that necessary action could be taken.

Giving progress on establishing the Crisis Control Management (CCM) Mukhtiar Soomro said that Rescue 1122 would be established in Karachi. “On the directives of the chief minister the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has been sent a team to Rawalpindi to study their 1122 Rescue establishment and operation so that it could be replicated here,” he said. The chief minister directed him to expedite the matter.

It may be noted that keeping in view the Safoora Goth tragedy where Rescue Operation activities could not be undertaken in time, a decision has been taken to establish the Rescue 1122.

The chief minister asked the Chief Secretary and Home Secretary to hold a comprehensive meeting with Ismailis, Bohris and people of minority communities, to listen their security concerns and guide them. “I want you to work out a detailed security plan to avoid soft targets onward,” he said. Chief Secretary Siddiq Memon said that he was holding a meeting with them on Tuesday.

On the instructions of the chief minister the IG Ghulam Hyder Jamali said that he had already sent a list of immediate required gadgets to GHQ. In response to it the COAS General Raheel Sharif has sent 500 rifles to Sindh police. The other equipments are being discussed there.

The IG Sindh told the chief minister that the Ghotki operation has been completed. In the operation eleven dacoits of Shar and Shaikh tribes were killed while three others were arrested. The dacoits of Punjab who had penetrated into Katcha area whisked away. “Pakistan Rangers extended full cooperation to the police to make the operation meaningful.

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah while talking abot the policy decision said that 2500 acres of forest land recovered from the dacoits in Ghotki would be given to local landless haris for which he directed the chief secretary to work out a proposal. “In this way a return route for the dacoits in the area would be closed forever,” he said.

The chief minister asked the Chief Secretary if he had sent a team of experts to visit Heavy Mechanical Complex (HMC) Taxila to procure local build APCs. The chief secretary submitted that he along with IG Sindh were working out specification of the APCs and shortly a team would be dispatched there.

Home Secretary Mukhtiar Soomro briefing the chief minister about madrassas registration said that the Sindh government had proposed legislation for the purpose but federal government has prepared a Proforma in which the Home Department has given its input. On this Mr Sharjeel Memon suggested that a column for the donors who donate their lands for construction of madrassas be included with the condition to seek the Home department NOC before donating the land.

The chief minister directed the home secretary to be in touch with the federal government and expedite the process so that registration work could be started as soon as possible. “This would held to introduce madrassas reform programme.” he observed

Talking about crackdown on banned sectarian outfits the home secretary told the chief minister that a list of 61 banned organisation has been shared with Sindh police and Pakistan Rangers for necessary action and keeping an eye on their activities. On this the IG police said that the police and Rangers have already launched a crackdown on banned organisations.

Mukhtiar Soomro said that FIA has been invited to send one of their directors in the Provincial Apex Committee meetings so that financial support to the terrorist organisation could be chocked.

To a question of the chief minister, the home secretary and IGP said that they were making necessary arrangements to shift CPLC from Governor House to Police Headquarters.

Secretary Sindh Katchi Abadis (SKA) Dr Nawaz Shaikh said that there were 1409 katch abadies in Sindh, of them 564 are in Karachi. The SKAA deals with those katchi abadis which were established before March 1985. The katchi abadis established after 1985 do not fall in their mandate.

The chief minister observed that the katchi abadis need to be regularised, but on merit. He directed the chief secretary to hold a meeting with builders association ABAD and seek proposal for developing the katachi abadis.

The chief minister also observed that the katchi abadis, as reported to him by the secret agencies, are a source of crime and terror. Therefore, a proper vigilance frame work needs to be evolved.

Chief Secretary Siddiq Memon told the chief minister that 80 per cent computerisation of revenue records (land records) has been completed. “I would invite you very soon to inaugurate five computerised centres,” he said.

The chief minister observed that with the computerisation of land records, the identification of government and private land would be easy. “In this way an effective operation would be launched against land grabbers,” he said.