Qaim for setting up LEAs’ pickets in sensitive areas

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah has called for setting up pickets of the law-enforcement agencies (LEAs), namely the police and Rangers, in the identified sensitive areas of Karachi.
He was chairing a meeting on Sunday with Interior Minister Rehman Malik at the Chief Minister’s House regarding the law and order situation.
The meeting was also attended by Sindh Home Minister Manzoor Wasan, Sindh Chief Secretary Raja Muhammad Abbas, Sindh Additional Home Secretary Suhail Akbar Shah, Sindh Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mushtaq Ahmed Shah, Pakistan Rangers Sindh Director General Maj Gen Rizwan Akhtar, Karachi Additional IGP Akhtar Gorchani, Sindh Chief Minister’s Principal Secretary Agha Jan Akhtar and others.
On the occasion, the chief minister said that the maintenance of law and order is the top priority of the government, and that the LEAs should work with the same spirit and law and order must be ensured at every cost.
He said that President Asif Ali Zardari has given directives for action against criminals, without any distinction, for the elimination of crimes.
He also said that the sensitive areas of the city must be identified and police and Rangers’ pickets must be established, besides ensuring adequate patrolling, to keep an eye on the activities of the criminals.
He further said that the presence of LEA personnel in sensitive areas would help in maintenance of law and order and in catching criminals red-handed.
The chief minister said that the coordination of police and Rangers is encouraging and it would produce better results.
The interior minister said on the occasion that no flag of any political party would be allowed at any official building, electric or telephone pole, or at any public property, and that the station house officer (SHO) concerned would be responsible to implement the decision.
He said that the permission to hoist party flags on special occasions or declared days would be required from the local administration.
He also said that patrolling by police and Rangers would be enhanced in the identified sensitive areas.
Moreover, pickets would be set up, which would help in curbing incidents of mobile-phone snatching, he added.
The interior minister said regarding Orangi Town that permanent patrolling by police would take place at the Banaras Bridge.
Moreover, check-posts along with sharp shooters would also be established at the bridge, he added.
He said that all the SHOs would raise volunteer and community support programmes to assist the police in maintaining law and order across the city.
He also said that a divisional intelligence agency would be formed for ensuring maintenance of law and order in Karachi and for coordination and exchange of information for security measures.
He further said that in Karachi, extortionists, the land mafia and the weapons mafia are responsible for disrupting law and order.
The interior minister said that police and Rangers personnel have been given a free hand for action against criminals without any discrimination.
He said that for maintaining peace in the metropolitan, all political parties would be asked to sit together and work with mutual coordination and with the spirit of the policy of reconciliation so that law and order could be ensured.