Karachi-Inspector general of Police Mushtaq Maher briefing the provincial cabinet on law and order said yesterday that terrorism incidents had been controlled completely.
He said that 10 persons were killed in target killing in 2019 while only two persons were killed in 2020. Some 944 murders were reported in 2019 and 786 in 2020. 75 cases of extortion were reported in 2019 and 76 in 2020 while kidnapping for ransom were recorded at 28 in 2019 but they have been increased to 106 in 2020. The reason behind more kidnapping cases was trapping the people by talking them in women’s voices on their mobile phone by dacoits. This trend increased in rural areas and now it has been controlled to some extent. The cabinet was told that 3966 proclaimed offenders and 7934 absconders have been arrested and recovered 4297 arms and ammunition between January to June 30, 2020. It was pointed out that they confiscated 448,350 liters of Iranian diesel and arrested 186 culprits involved in the smuggling.
Giving police performance, the IG said that the police conducted 749 encounters, busted 537 gangs, arrested 8112 street criminals, killed 21 street dacoits and 6504 criminals were arrested.
Drug addicts involved in street crimes
Additional Inspector General Karachi Ghulam Nabi Memon told the cabinet that the reason for street crimes was drug addicts living on the roads and streets. He said that whenever strict operations against drug addicts have been launched the street crime has come down. According to him the theft and crime activities are the main source of living and purchasing of drugs. He said that during 2020, 908 robbers were arrested, of them 152 were released within a week, 114 in two week, 140 within a month and163 in three months.

183 in six months, 156 over six month and in this all of them were released on bail. Mr Memon disclosed that 2,455 complaints had filed applications against street criminals, of them only 475 agreed to register FIRs.
The chief minister directed IG Police to strengthen the investigation branch and set up separate cadre, if necessary. He also urged him to upgrade his 2G locators to 4G locators, and enhance the number of crime scene units from eight to 13 and establish fingerprint mechanism.
Murad said that he would take action against the police officers concerned from where a person was kidnapped. He directed IG police to inform his SHOs all over Sindh, particularly in Karachi not to allow encroachment, otherwise he would take strict action against them.