Murad orders crackdown against vehicles being used on transfer letters

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Tuesday directed the Excise Department to launch crackdown against the use of vehicle by second or progressive owners on transfer letters, saying that it was illegal.

He took this decision while presiding over a meeting to review law and order in the light of forthcoming Apex Committee meeting here at the CM House. Provincial Minister Syed Nasir Shah, Advisor to CM Murtaza Wahab, Inspector General Sindh Dr Kaleem Imam, Additional IG Special Branch Dr Waliullah Dal, Principal Secretary to CM Sajid Jamal Abro, Commissioner Karachi Iftikhar Shahalwani and others.

To a question, the additional IG Special Branch told the chief minister that the vehicle used by terrorists who attacked the Chinese consulate was owned by a person who had sold his vehicle six years ago and now five years have passed to his death. The vehicle was being used on transfer letter, he told.

At this Murad directed the Excise Department to start crackdown against the vehicles plying in the city on transfer letters.

Read More: More suspected facilitators of Chinese consulate attack arrested: AIG

Dr Kaleem Imam briefing the chief minister on crime statistics said that 61 incidents of terrorism took place in 2013 which reduced to only two [incidents] in 2018. “Similarly, 509 target killing cases were reported in 2018 which dropped down to only five in 2018. The 575 extortion cases were recorded in 2013 and they dropped down to 131 in 2018.”

Talking about kidnapping for ransom cases, the IG Sindh said that 173 cases were reported in 2013 and only 12 cases were registered in 2018. The CM said that he had provided maximum facilities to the police and had equipped them with latest weapon and trainings, therefore crime rate had come down. “Now I want to change the Thana culture for which I have to take necessary measures to make the police public friendly,” he said.

The chief minister was told that the 12187 cases of mobile snatching were reported in 2013 and it had increased to 14051 in 2018. Citing the reason of increasing cases, the IG said that in the past law and order was worst and people were reluctant to register mobile snatching cases. Now, the law and order situation was better and people had started filing their complaints. The chief minister said that whatever the reason was there the crime must be controlled.

Dr Kaleem Imam talking about two wheeler and four wheeler vehicles snatching said that in 5118 two wheelers were snatched in 2013 and it came down to 1892 in 2018. Similarly, 980 four wheelers were snatched in 2013 and 165 in 2018.

The chief minister directed IG police to provide bullet proof jackets to all the policemen who had been deployed at important places such as consulates, the CM House, the Governor House, the IG office and places exposed to easy attack. “They must wear bullet proof jackets,” he said.

Shah also directed Home Secretary Kazi Kabir to recommend him compensation for two civilians (from Balochistan) killed in the attack on the Chinese Consulate. He also asked about the treatment of the security guard. He was told that the injured guard was being taken care of properly.