Daily Times

Senior Minister of Sindh and Provincial Minister for Information, Transport, Mass Transit, Excise, Taxation, and Narcotics Control, Sharjeel Inam Memon, has stated that the situation that arose during the caretaker government is being improved. The situation in the Kachcha area in Sindh is better than before. The Home Minister and IG Sindh are present in the Kacha area. Thirteen hostages have been rescued in the last fortnight, two hostages in Ghotki, eight in Kashmore, and three in Shikarpur. Six people have been rescued through a honey trap. The abduction attempt was thwarted by the police taking timely action. The police and Rangers are conducting an operation in the raw area, and Alhamdulillah, the situation has improved significantly.

Addressing a press conference at Archives Complex Karachi, Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon stated that the targeted operation is ongoing, and the law and order situation has significantly improved. Efforts are underway to control street crime. In the early days of April, 11 street criminals were killed and 60 injured in encounters by the Karachi police. A total of 104 street criminals were arrested during this period. Additionally, 85 suspects involved in vehicle theft were apprehended, and 246 pistols, a rifle, 2 short guns, and 2 hand grenades were recovered from various suspects. In the past week alone, 6 street criminals were killed, 33 injured, and a total of 59 street criminals were arrested in police operations against street crime. Karachi West Police apprehended 7 suspects of the Raja Gang involved in several incidents, while Karachi Central Police arrested 3 street criminals involved in 8 incidents of street crime. Kemari Police also arrested 6 street criminals after an encounter, who were involved in numerous incidents of street crime.

He emphasized that illegal immigrants in Sindh pose a significant and long-standing challenge, with some found involved in various incidents. The government is earnestly working to address this issue. The Sindh government has demonstrated a strong commitment to maintaining law and order, as evidenced by the Chief Minister of Sindh convening the first meeting specifically dedicated to this matter.

Sharjeel Inam Memon highlighted the pervasive drug problem in Pakistan, emphasizing the dangers of substances like crystal and ice which impair cognitive function. He noted that even parents have fallen victim to the influence of these drugs. The province is committed to cracking down on narcotics with a zero-tolerance policy, and the Sindh Police is collaborating closely with the Excise Police in this regard. Memon urged parents to monitor their children closely. He also mentioned that during Eid, 2 gangsters were killed in an encounter in Hyderabad. Furthermore, the Excise Police have conducted 49 operations since last month, resulting in the arrest of 47 drug dealers, brewers, and sellers of raw liquor.

Sharjeel Inam Memon disclosed that the police have recovered 42 kg of hashish, while the excise police have seized 128 kg of hashish in operations against drug dealers. Specifically, 60 kg of hashish was seized in Rohri Sukkur, 26 kg in Korangi, 5 kg in Jacobabad, and 4 kg in Karachi West. Additionally, 1 kg of ice and 10,306 liters of raw liquor were confiscated from the accused, as reported by the Excise Police. Moreover, an attempt to smuggle cocaine from Lahore to Karachi was thwarted, leading to the arrest of a Nigerian citizen named Onika.

Sharjeel Inam Memon emphasized the importance of media cooperation with the government in tackling drug trafficking and street crimes, assuring that action would be taken if crime reporters identify criminals.

In response to a question, he stated that street crime is a global issue. According to the International Crime Index, Karachi ranks 78th out of 333 cities in various countries. The situation of street crime in American cities such as Oakland, New Orleans, Chicago, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Houston, San Francisco, and Washington is worse than in Karachi. Even in Paris, the capital of France, according to the crime index, the situation of street crime is worse than in Karachi.

Additionally, Memon announced the expansion of the pink bus service following the directive of Faryal Talpur Sahib. More pink buses will be introduced starting from April 19, along with the launch of new pink bus routes. Furthermore, a people’s bus service is scheduled to begin in Mirpurkhas. Moreover, plans are underway to connect the Orange line and the Green line with a shuttle service, which will be provided free of charge.