KARACHI - Sindh Home Minister Sohail Anwar Siyal on Monday set aside the perception that Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) wants an end to the Karachi operation.
He said police and Rangers were working together in the province for the improvement of law and order situation.
Addressing the media during his visit to Karachi Press Club, Siyal said an extensive security plan was being approved in the province for maintaining law and order situation during Muharram.
“At least 66,000 policemen would be deployed in the province during Muharram out of which 26,000 will be stationed in Karachi,” he said. Rangers would also perform its duties as a backup force while army could be summoned in case of any emergency, he added. He said a letter was also written to the Pakistan Army for their help during Muharram and hopefully they would extend complete support likewise in the past.
He lauded the police and Rangers for maintaining law and order situation, saying several traffic police officials had also sacrificed their lives in the line of duty.
To a query regarding issuing red warrant against MQM chief Altaf Hussain after being declared absconder from several courts, the minister said the matter was an issue of the federal government and they had nothing to do with it.
He said Sindh police were facing shortage of cops and they would make more recruitment in the department on complete merit. “Today, we are facing acute shortage of police force according to the increase in population,” he said. He also assured the members of the Karachi Press Club for installation of CCTV cameras at the press club premises in order to ensure security of the journalists.
Meanwhile, the Sindh home department had written a letter to the Karachi Corps Commander for deployment of the armed forces during Muharram in six districts of the province.
According to sources, the district administration of the six districts including Karachi, Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas, Nawabshah, Sukkur and Larkana had asked the home department to deploy army during the Muharram for ensuring law and order situation.
It urged the corps commander to deploy eight army companies in Karachi, 400 army men in Hyderabad, two platoons in Nawabshah, three companies in Sukkur, two companies in Mirpurkhas and 700 soldiers in Larkana.
TERROR BID FOILED: Police on Monday arrested 10 suspects including two target killers and a woman in Karachi operation. The law enforcement agencies carried out a raid in Baloch Colony and detained two suspects including a woman who were involved in fund-raising for banned outfits. The law enforcement agencies shifted them to unknown place and started investigation.
Meanwhile, police have nabbed two dacoits after shootout in Mobeena Town, while two target killers Shakeel and Fahad were detained during raid conducted in Manghopir area.
On the other hand, police have arrested four accused Kashif, Danish, Ahmad Sharif and Saqib after an encounter in Orangi Pakistan Bazaar. The accused were involved in dozens of incidents of murder, attempt to murder and dacoity.