Due to a number of industrial activities, Karachi holds a prominent position not only in Pakistan, but is also known all over the world. Besides, Karachi is so-called mini-Pakistan and a center of economy. No doubt, economy and activities depend on peace situation and law & order in any country. Unfortunately, despite the importance of Karachi city as the economic hub of the country, there is poor proper law & order situation.
Every time trouble breaks out and disorder freezes everyday life in Karachi, schools go deserted, commuters are left stranded at bust stops and even patients cannot go to hospital. Events of May 12, December 27 and April 19 are still on record, when there was no any law & order in the city. People were openly murdered and burnt brutally on roads and streets in Karachi during these incidents.
In order to maintain law and order in Karachi, the government of Sindh has made some key appointments/postings in the police department at a large scale. As part of the major reshuffle, IG Sindh, CCPO Karachi, DIGs, TPOs and SHOs were transferred. In this context, on the appointment of Shoaib Suddal as IG, MQM demonstrated against the PPP government, but the latter refuse to budge rejecting all objections made by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM).
Meanwhile, the MQM, which had had some differences with the ruling and allied parties in past, has now joined hands with the government to maintain peace in the city. It is to be noted here that the components of the present ruling coalition had once held MQM responsible for the bloodshed on May 12 and April 19.
The May 12 bloodshed that took place during the rule of the MQM has made the party a symbol of terror in the minds of people. Likewise, when the PPP came in power, the April 19 event cannot be forgotten in the context of lawyers when people were openly burnt on roads. Minister for Interior Dr Zulfiqar Mirza, who belongs to the PPP, has said he will remove black sheep from Karachi Police in order to maintain peace in the city. The minister is actively pursuing the process of transfers in Karachi police from lower level to higher level. As for the people of Sindh, they are still facing the same problems and it is very difficult to predict any betterment in near future.
Talking to the Weekly Pulse regarding new appointments and transfer of police officials in Sindh police, CCPO Karachi S.S. Babar Khattak said Karachi was spread over 3,527 square kilometers with a population of 16 million. Likewise, the city roads have a total length of 80,000 kilometers, bearing the load of more than 1.756 million vehicles. However, in comparison of these huge figures, the size of police force is very small. There are only 103 police stations, out of which five -- ESC, City District Government Karachi, Karachi Port Trust, Mines and Minerals -- are in the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). According to details given by Police Department, Karachi is divided into 15 towns, 44 sub-divisions and 178 union councils.
The CCPO praised the efficiency of the present police officials and said the number of crimes had reduced to some extent during last four months. He said in January 2008, 2,326 crimes took place; in February, 2,269; and in March, 2,539. In April, 2,239 mobile phones were snatched, whereas in May only 351 sets were snatched. In January 2008, 270 motorbikes were snatched; in February, 283; in March, 551; in April, 472; and in May, 79. Likewise, In January, 107 cars were looted/snatched; in February, 128; in March, 198; in April, 127, and in May, only 11.
In this way, a huge positive change has been observed in the working of the police department, courtesy of the new postings and transfers. Talking about serious crimes, the CCPO said in the first four months of the current year, 15 banks dacoities/theft cases were reported. During the same period, 19 people were kidnapped and 23 kidnappers were arrested. Likewise, 464 accused were caught red-handed and sent behind bars for their alleged involvement in gang/street crimes and mobile & vehicles snatching.
Regarding seizure of illegal weapons and recovery of stolen items and vehicles, CCPO Babar Khattak said 29 SMGs, 29 rifles, 37 repeaters/guns, 1,163 pistols/revolvers, and 34 hand grenades were sized, while 578 cell phones, 985 cars, and 82 motorcycles were recovered from January to May 2008. He also said during this period, 21 police officers were killed in the line of duty and 51 received serious injuries. He said more effective steps were being taken to improve the law and order situation in Karachi. He said for FIR registration, an independent Cell Town has been established under the supervision of superintendent of police (SP).
To a question about Lyari gang war, the CCPO said the police were taking strict action against professional criminals, but an impression was being given through media that police were taking action on political grounds, which was absolutely wrong. He said the population of Lyari area was 1.9 million with most people living under the poverty line and facing many socio-economic problems. He said the police were searching for two wanted criminals, Rehman and Arshad Pappu. During Lyari gang wars, 23 cases were registered, 4 gangsters killed and 49 arrested from January to May 2008. The CCPO said a proposal had been submitted to the government for launching a grand operation against wanted people and gangsters through proactive policing, regular raids etc.
To a question about the recruitment of police officials and vacancies, he said there were 34,106 registered vacancies, out of which 27,865 were filled. Out of the remaining 6,222 vacant vacancies, 37 were for inspector, 23 for sub-inspector, 628 for ASI and 5,124 for constables. Recruitments are in progress and will be completed soon so that law & order situation should be maintained in Sindh soon.
Replying to a question regarding large-scale postings of officials, he said the move aimed at maintaining law & order situation in Sindh, and it was a wrong impression that the police were preparing for any operation in the city. He said the police were taking necessary actions only against professional criminals and were not ready to accept any political pressure. He said each SHO had been given strict instructions to maintain peace in his designated area and reduce crime rate. Besides, the Police Department will constitute a committee, which will examine the efficiency of all police officers, and take strict action against corrupt and irresponsible officers.
The CCPO also told Weekly Pulse that a project worth Rs50 billion had been prepared for police department. The plan envisages recruitment of 10,000 police officials annually, procurement of police vehicles and special devices, training, infrastructure and effective arrangement of security in Karachi. To end the practice of nepotism, a process of three months written test has been adopted for the recruitments of new SHOs & munshi, who will be appointed after proving their efficiency and ability to work.
Replying to a question about out-of-turn promotion and suspension among the police officers, Mr. Khattak said a committee had been established that would analyze the out-of-turn promotions of police officers. To this effect, another committee had been set up that would make this process more transparent, and a police officer who did not show any efficiency, would be expelled from the force immediately.
The CCPO said recruitments in Sindh police would be on merit and no recommendation would be considered. He said now it was the foremost priority of the police to maintain law & order in Sindh and provide relief to the citizens of Karachi. He was confident that there would be no recurrence of bloody events like May 12 and April 19, and criminals would be dealt with an iron hand.
With the appointment of Shoaib Suddal as IG Sindh, the PPP government has claimed that the new team of police officers would succeed in maintaining peace, reducing street crimes and violation of law. On the other hand, an allied party of government, MQM, has strongly condemned the appointment of Shoaib Suddal. Now MQM is working with the government and Shoaib Suddal is fulfilling his duties as Inspector General Sindh. Minister for Interior Dr Zulfiqar Mirza, in a statement, said  investigation into May 12 and April 19 incidents would be carried out, adding that according to victims’ family members and public, MQM was involved in these terrible events.
Now after the appointment of the new IG and alliance of MQM with government, it appears that the police will not be able to investigate actual reasons and the persons responsible for these horrible will remain free. These appointments have been considered as operation before alliance of MQM with government. After the fresh postings in the police department, MQM has decided to collaborate with Sindh government and has not made any demands with reference to any of the ministries. Now it has become clear that the PPP has made these appointments to forge an alliance with the MQM in the backdrop of the changing scenario vis-à-vis restoration of judges and separation of PML-N. The results of these appointments and fate of PPP-MQM alliance will become clear in a few months.