Daily Times

KARACHI: In a high-level meeting assessing law and order and the security situation of the province during Muharram-ul-haram, Chief Minister Sindh , Murad Ali Shah has decided that a stringent action would be taken against people violating Muharram code of conduct, which include criticism on any particular sect, sacred personalities, inciting religious intolerance through hate speech etc.

Ban on purchase, sale and telecasting of material full of hatred has been imposed. Restriction on hoisting political and sectarian flags at public places has also been imposed.

In this connection, Chief Minister formed a committee comprising of sindh ministers, which include Saeed Ghani, Nasir Shah who is also CM’s adviser and Murtaza Wahab to hold meeting with ulema for the implementation of the code of conduct.

It was also decided in the meeting that police would record all speeches of prominent speakers. There would also be a complete ban on displaying weapons and watch-on elements included in schedule -IV of code of conduct, and restricted use of public address system would also be strictly followed.

“I would personally meet with ulema of different sects and take them into confidence on decisions taken for their security,” CM maintained in the meeting.

Murad Ali Shah directed Saeed Ghani to ensure repair/patch work of roads, where necessary, lifting of debris, solid waste and removal of other obstructions from areas which have been designated as routes of procession or Majalis. CM ordered for general cleanliness, ensuring manhole covers and availability of fire tenders and waste browsers. He also issued instructions for the removal of loose power cables by coordinating with K-Electric, Hesco, SESSCO, telephone companies and cable operators.

CM said that districts of Shikarpur, Jacobabad and Larakana are sensitive and more vulnerable, therefore strict security measures should be taken in the regions.

The chief minister directed commissioner Karachi to use CCTV cameras procured for monitoring for polling stations during general election. “We can use these CCTV cameras at place where they are required,” he said.

Kazi Kabir briefed the meeting about code of conduct for all religious and other organisations for maintaining law and order during Muharram.

Secretary Home said that all DIGs have been directed to assess and provide adequate security to notables till chehlum. He said that peace committees meetings were also being held on all levels.

Additional IG Karachi, Dr Ameer Shaikh told in the meeting that there were 1,996 imambargahs in province, of them 356 were in Karachi, 590 in Hyderabad division, 118 in Mirpurkhas, 93 in Shaheed Benazirabad, 374 in Sukkur and 456 in Larakana division in the province.

He informed that there would be 3,513 processions out of them, 319 have been categorised as most sensitive, 1,059 sensitive and 2,135 normal.

DIGs of Larkana and Sukkur told chief minister that all check posts located along with Sindh-Balochistan and Sindh-Punjab borders have been strengthened further to check movement of people along and across border.

It was told in the meeting that out of 786 mourning processions to be held all over in Sindh, 11 were most sensitive, 312 sensitive and 463 normal. In order to provide complete security to these processions, 69,545 policemen would be deployed. The deployment of police in Karachi would be 17,558, in Hyderabad 16,816, in Mirpurkhas 2,237, in Shaheed Benazirabad 9,280, in Sukkur 8,253 and in Larkana division 15,401.

Apart from it Rangers would also deploy a force of around 7,000 all over in Sindh.

The police and different law enforcement agencies have established close coordination. For the purpose, a control room has been set up in Karachi for timely dissemination of information. A mechanism has also been devised to share intelligence reports, joint meeting of stakeholders are in progress, joint intelligence-based operations are being carried and joint flag march would also be held.

The meeting was told that processions of Muharram 8 to 10 would be monitored through 184 CCTV cameras. 43 different spots of processions routes would also be monitored through 55 mobile cameras and 129 fixed cameras. The centralised command and control room has been established at CPO and regional command centre at Civic Centre.

Meanwhile, on the issue of increasing number of street crimes in parts of Karachi, Murad Ali Shah gave clear instructions to police for curbing this menace.

The city chief police official informed CM that department has started intelligence-based operations against street criminals, car lifters and bandits in this regard.

He assured meeting that operations would give positive results within next few days.

Chief Secretary Major (retd) Azam Suleman, Additional IG Special Branch, Dr Waliullah Dal, Addditional IG Karachi, Dr Ameer Shaikh, Principal Secretary to CM, Sohail Rajput, Commissioner Karachi, Sualeh Farooqui and Secretary Local Government, Khalid Hyder Shah attended the meeting while DIGs of all administrative divisions of province and commissioners were on video call.

Published in Daily Times, September 11^th 2018.