Strict measures to be taken to contain street crimes: Murtaza Wahab

KARACHI - Sindh Government’s spokesman and CM Advisor on Law Barrister Murtaza Wahab on Thursday said that strict measures would have to be taken to control the rising street crimes and drug menace.
He expressed these views during a meeting with Sindh IG Ghulam Nabi Memon who called on Karachi Administrator at his office, said a statement.The Administrator directed the authorities concerned to strictly enforce the ban on the sale of cigarettes to minors and take necessary steps to stop the use of plastic bags from June 15. He said that work was underway to combine all the relief numbers including Ambulance Service 1122, Police Assistant (15), Fire Brigade Emergency Helpine (16) and 1399 to provide this facility to the citizens on 1122.
“All these agencies will be mobilised on a single call and will take joint action at the accident site,” he added.
It was difficult for the citizens, Barrister Murtaza Wahab said, to remember multiple numbers so these numbers were being compiled after consultation with the institutions.
The Administrator said that the government of Sindh was ready to enact more legislation as required to curb drug menace and street crimes so that the lives and property of the citizens could be protected. He said that the police should work actively to curb the sale of drugs in the city and crackdown on the criminal elements who were making the youth addicted to drugs as the youth were suffering from deadly diseases. The CM Advisor said that sale of cigarettes to minors and installation of cigarette cabins near schools had been banned, and advised IG Sindh to increase police patrolling. Sindh IG told Administrator that the rising incidence of street crimes was a matter of concern and efforts were being made to curb them.
Meanwhile, Murtaza Wahab said that fire stations would be set up in all the industrial zones in Karachi so that in case of fire or any emergency situation the fire brigade and rescue team could respond immediately.
The decision to this effect was taken in a high level meeting chaired by Administrator Karachi, Barrister Murtaza Wahab at the KMC head office here on Thursday. The participants of the meeting observed that with the establishment of the fire station, the response time will be short and fire tenders will be able to reach the accident site within five minutes.
The meeting was attended by Municipal Commissioner KMC Syed Afzal Zaidi, Senior Director Municipal Services Mazhar Khan, Senior Vice President Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry Tanveer Ahmed Bare, Muhammad Salman Alam of Korangi Association and Trade Industry (KATI), Federal B Area Association of Trade and Industry Vice President Khurram Saeed Khan, Secretary General Federal B Area Association of Trade and Industry Ibadullah Baig, ,General Secretary Bin Qasim Association of Trade and Industry Abdul Rehman Ismail, Siraj S. Mano of Landhi Industrial Area and others attended the meeting.
The Administrator Karachi said that the Trade and Industry Association should work with the government for the betterment and development of Karachi so that the situation could be further improved.
He said that the fire stations to be set up in the industrial zones of Karachi are necessary.
“The KMC will provide trained staff with fire tenders and they will work exclusively in the industrial zone.
He said that he is grateful to the Trade and Industry Association for their cooperation in repairing the snorkels and fire tenders of KMC which were in bad condition.
Barrister Murtaza Wahab said that factories and industries within the industrial zone are highly sensitive and property worth billions of rupees is wasted due to fire or any accident. Thousands of workers lost their jobs due to factory closures, he said.
He said that the products produced in factories increase exports and the government gets revenue in terms of taxes which were used for the construction and development of the city.
He said that Sindh government values traders and industrialists wants to solve their problems on priority basis.
On the occasion, representatives of various associations presented different proposals for the development of industrial zones and solution of problems.

| Says fire stations would be set up in all the industrial zones in Karachi

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