Daily Times

KARACHI: Sindh Assembly Deputy Speaker Shehla Raza said on Thursday the Sindh government has started devising a new police act to resolve policing issues.

Speaking during her visit to the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), she added that instead of complaining in front of society about the obsolete Police Act 1861, Sindh IG AD Khawaja should have discussed the issue with the government.

Former KCCI president Siraj Kassam Teli, BMG Vice Chairman Haroon Farooki, KCCI President Shamim Ahmed Firpo, KCCI Senior Vice President Asif Nisar, KCCI Vice President Younus Soomro, former presidents AQ Khalil and Abdullah Zaki, Chairperson of Women Entrepreneurs Sub-Committee Durre Shahwar Nisar, Chairman of Special Committee for My Karachi Exhibition Muhammad Idrees and KCCI Managing Committee members attended the meeting. Shehla added that the Sindh government was focusing on improving the standards of Police Department and maximum funds were being allocated in this regard. There was a time when a petty amount of just 200,000 to 300,000 was given to heirs of the police martyrs which has been raised to Rs 2 million while the pay scale of police force has also been improved, she added.

She said that as compared to other provinces, Sindh has devised and implemented some of the best and maximum number of legislations including the recent legislations to deal with domestic violence, under-age marriage, under-age labour and harassment at workplace.
“We are also working closely with USAID to improve water management, health and education in Sindh”, she added.

Commenting on the grievances being faced by masses due to development work in Karachi, she said that a total of 25 development projects were simultaneously underway all over Karachi city which was the reason for numerous problems being suffered by Karachiites. However, Sindh government was striving hard to minimize the hardships, ensure safety of public and complete all these projects within the shortest possible time, she added.

Appreciating the efforts being made by the KCCI to promote the positive image of Karachi by regularly holding My Karachi Exhibition, Shehla said that it was heartening to note that Karachi Chamber has continued to regularly hold this event even in such circumstances when the entire city’s law and order situation was at its worst, which makes Karachi Chamber really a true Pakistani, she added.

Teli pointed out that the Police Act 1861 was devised by the British rulers some 150 years ago with an intention to control the public but this Act was not valid in the prevailing circumstances, hence it has to be replaced with a new and improved Police Act.

He recalled that the obsolete Police Act 1861 was replaced by Police Order 2002 during Gen Musharraf’s rule which also contained some flaws but it was much better. Unfortunately, this Police Order was suspended and destroyed by all politicians belonging to PPP and MQM whereas the obsolete Police Act 1861 was reinstated, creating severe policing issues.

Instead of reinstating Police Act 1861, the government should have continued with Police Order 2002 with some amendments which were required to deal with some of its flaws, he added.

Earlier President KCCI Shamim Ahmed Firpo, while expressing deep concerns over deteriorating law and order situation, said that although the situation improved during the last three years but nowadays it seems that the law and order situation has started worsening again which was really alarming for the business and industrial community.