Corps Commander Karachi Lieutenant General Shahid Baig Mirza, Chief Secretary Rizwan Memon, Director General Pakistan Rangers (Sindh) Major General Mohammad Saeed, Inspector General of Police, Sindh, AD Khuwaja, provincial cabinet's members and others attended the meeting.
Murad Shah brushed aside the impression of slow targeted operation saying that some other serious crimes such as street crimes, drug mafia, land mafia and others were also being taken to task. "We are holding the 19th meeting of the Apex Committee which speaks louder regarding our commitment but I am sorry to say the federal government has failed to implement some important clauses of National Action Plan," he said, adding that: "NAP calls for ban on glorification of terrorists but that continue through media projection.
Sindh chief minister urged there should have been a crack down against banned outfits but they were openly holding meetings and the policy of the federal government was not clear; the NAP also called for repatriation of illegal immigrants but no tangible progress has been made so far and NACTA had to be made functional but this was not done so far.
Murad Shah said that the seriousness of his government to implementing National Action Plan (NAP) in true letter and spirit was evident from the fact that he was chairing the 19th meeting of the Apex committee on the first day of new year.
Home Secretary Shakeel Mangnijo briefing the meeting said that an international organisation had placed Karachi on number six in its `Crime and safety Index' but now it has come down to number 31. On this the chief minister said that "the credit goes to this forum which plans, executes and supports targeted operation to crush the terrorists, target killers, extortionists and kidnappers."
Home secretary said that the ATC courts had decided 149 cases in December 2016 and convicted 34 criminals. The Sindh government has requested the Ministry of Interior to include 94 madaris in the first schedule banning them while seven more people were included in 4th schedule in December alone. 581 persons have already been included in 4th schedule.
The National Action Plan deals with 20 points, of them 11 pertain to provincial government. Home secretary said that 16 condemned prisoners have been executed since the start of the NAP, 13 others have been awarded death sentences by military courts but no convicted has been executed so far. He added that the appeals of seven convicted were rejected and second appeals of six of them were pending in High Court and one in Supreme Court. The appeals of remaining six are pending with the GHQ.
The Sindh government recommended 105 cases to the ministry of interior but only 29 were cleared and sent to the military courts for trial. The government has adopted serious measures the choke financing for terrorists and their outfits. The collection of fitrana and hides of sacrificial animals by force was also banned. Audits were initiated by the social welfare department. Seven cases were registered for financing and eleven accused were arrested. The meeting was informed that the Counterterrorism Force was established and of 2000 personnel, 700 have been recruited so far. The CTD has been provided 3G and 4G locators, to have access to NADRA database, set-up anti-terrorism financing unit, to establish explosive lab and a canine unit was being set up.
The meeting was also briefed on the progress of legislations which include passage of certain bills such as Hindu Marriage Act and Forced Conversion Bill. Draft bill on forced marriages has been prepared and scheme to install surveillance cameras at religious places of minorities have also been approved that will cost Rs400 million. The meeting was told that there were 10,033 madaris (religious seminaries) and of them 7,724 madaris wee functional with an enrolment of 547,695 students and among them 818 foreigners.
On the Rangers performance, the Apex Committee was told that since September 2013 Rangers conducted 8,849 combing operations, handed over 6892 criminals to police. They arrested 1493 terrorists, 975 target killers, 440 extortionists, 116 kidnappers. They recovered 151 hostages, 10,560 weapons and 620783 ammunitions.
The meeting pointed out that there was a substantial increase in street crimes. On this the chief minister directed IG police to take necessary measures to stop street crimes. He approved vigorous operation against street criminals, drug mafia and land mafia.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2017