KARACHI - The Sindh police arrested over 42,000 suspects – Including the proclaimed offenders and absconders – involved in different criminal and terrorism activities during 2018.
The department has issued a performance report according to which 9,045 proclaimed offenders; 18,709 absconders; 14,981 criminals; 47 terrorists; 28 target killers; and seven notified dacoits were nabbed by police from 1st January to 31st December 2018.
The report read that 2,206 suspects were captured red-handed whereas 82 criminals and 15 terrorists including a target killer were also killed in 1,182 encounters held on different occasions in 2018. The 661 gangs of criminals had also been busted and the huge cache of weapons, including rocket launchers, sten guns, SMGs, shotguns and repeatesr, and explosive material were also recovered from the possession of arrested suspects, it added.
As per the department, 1,298 murder cases; four major terrorism incidents, nine target killings, three bank robberies and 38 kidnapping for ransom cases were reported, however the department did not mention even a single of extortion across the province. It said that 1,610 cases registered and 1,723 persons were arrested for selling and possessing narcotics, adding that 84kg Charas, 27gm Heroin, 6644 Kg Gutka, four Kg Bhang and 15,902 litres of Liquor were recovered.
“During current year, Sindh police conducted raids across the province and seized various kind of Gutka and Mainpuri. A total 373,390 Kilograms of Gutka and other sub-standard material had been seized by police,” the report added. During the year 2018, different campaigns were launched on the directives of the provincial police chief in order to bridge gap between police and public. “A Campaign regarding Community Policing was held from 1st to 7th December to bridge gap between police and public and the steps were taken for neighbourhood watch and to improve police behaviour with public,” the report said.
Likewise, a campaign regarding security enhancement was launched on December 14 to improve security measures at shopping malls, banks, petrol pumps, educational institutes, government offices, shrines and other sensitive installation.