Ex-caretaker home minister denies allegations, calls for properly utilising security institutions’ capabilities         Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah (left) and Former caretaker Sindh home minister Brig Retd Haris Nawaz. — APP

KARACHI/THATTA: Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and former caretaker home minister Brig (retd) Haris Nawaz on Thursday traded blame as the authorities failed to contain a spike in violent crimes across the province particularly in Karachi.

CM Shah made the statement while speaking to the reporters after visiting the Trauma Centre in Karachi to inquire about the health of those injured in a road accident while en route to the Shah Noorani shrine.

Answering a question, the chief minister claimed that the law and order situation in the province worsened due to a major reshuffle in the police department by the caretaker government ahead of the February 8 general elections.

“This reshuffle affected the entire policing system, from additional inspector generals (AIGs) to station house officers (SHOs). However, the government is taking strict measures to improve the overall law and order situation, including in Karachi, rural areas, and particularly in the katcha (riverine) area.”

The PPP government had improved law and order all over Sindh in the past, and the current government is committed to ensuring the same, he added.

Commenting on robbery and abduction incidents in other parts of the province, CM Shah said that his newly established government has been successful in neutralising several dacoits in the katcha area.

Many bandits have also been arrested in injured condition. He further stated that the police and Rangers were conducting a joint operation against the dacoits in the Katcha area of Kashmore.

Additionally, a significant number of street criminals have been arrested during the targeted operations in Karachi, he said.

Shah mentioned that in 2008, when there was no PPP government in Sindh, Karachi was ranked as the 7th most dangerous city in the world by the International Crime Index.

“But we restored law and order after coming into power and when we left the government in 2023, the same city of Karachi had improved its ranking and was ranked 128th on the same Index,” he said. He further stated that he has taken it as a challenge to ensure law and order is maintained to protect the life, liberty, and property of the citizens.

During his visit to the Trauma Centre, the chief minister expressed deep sorrow and condolences over the tragic incident of the Hub Road accident in which at least 18 persons, including two children, lost their lives, and over 80 got wounded.

Later, he also offered Namaz-e-Jinaza for 15 out of the 18 victims of the accident at Qasim Jokhio Goth in Thatta.

He also promised to compensate the families of the victims who passed away in the accident. Shah said that there was a procedure of his government that the individual who lost his life was given Rs100,000 compensation from life insurance.

“But, I am exploring ways and means to financially compensate the families of the road accident victims,” he said besides directing Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) lawmakers, and minister of the relevant constituency to help the families of those who were breadwinners.

'Crime rate dropped during caretaker tenure'

Responding to Shah's claims, former caretaker home minister Brig (retd) Haris Nawaz categorically rejected the Sindh CM's allegations that the law and order situation disturbed during the tenure of the interim rulers.

At first, he refused to comment on the chief minister’s statements.

Later, he clarified that the caretakers had neither appointed any superintendent police (SP), deputy superintendent police (DSP) nor SHO.

Nawaz claimed that the inspector general police (IGP) approved all postings in the police department after security clearance. “The Sindh CM has his own point of view, but we approved postings of the officers with good reputation.”

“The crime rate was very low during the tenure of the caretaker set up from August 2023 to February 2024,” he claimed.

Regarding Karachi’s situation, Nawaz suggested that enhanced patrolling of police and Rangers’ contingents would improve the law and order situation.

He pointed out that drug addicts were also involved in robbing and killing citizens. The former home minister recommended a crackdown against the drug addicts.

He was of the view that all security officers and personnel were eligible to control the crimes, however, it would depend on the government how to utilise their capabilities.

Responding to another query, he claimed that the caretaker government had almost ended abductions for ransom by carrying out effective actions against katcha bandits. He, however, admitted that the gangs of bandits would not be eliminated until effective measures are taken against those feudal lords who were patronising them.