Rpt:Tauqeer Riaz Khan

Expressing his resolve to improve the policing system, Inspector General (IG) Sindh A.D. Khawaja assured media on Thursday that street crimes in the city had reduced considerably over the past four years.

Later, while touching on necessary improvements in the functioning of the police, Khawaja announced that the investigative departments of all police stations will soon be provided with police mobiles. He also said an explosives laboratory will be established by October and that the government was working towards building a forensic laboratory as well.

“The investigating officer should [also] get his budget on time,” Khawaja asked.

Answering a question regarding a recent notification from the Sindh chief minister curbing the IG SIndh’s powers regarding transfers and postings police officers, Khawaja said the decision would impact the department’s performance since the police chief will no longer have a say in the matter. Quoting the Citizens Police Liaison Committee (CPLC), the IG Sindh stated that crimes have fallen in the past four years, but warned that there cannot be a more substantial decrease in crimes unless more CCTV cameras are brought into use.

“Even 10 million cameras are not enough for a city as big as Karachi,” Khawaja conceded, adding that the city is currently watched over through 2,200 cameras.

Regarding the recent escape of two prisoners from Karachi’s Central Jail, Khawaja expressed apprehensions that the escaped persons could plan a major criminal activity.

He also said the jails system is not up to the mark, which contributed to the jailbreak. He also feared that the high-profile criminals will not be easy to recapture.