Home department to provide security to inter-provincial goods carriers

Sindh Home Department has decided to take foolproof measures to ensure security and safety of goods transporters on inter-provincial routes. The department, taking strict notice of the ever-increasing looting incidents on Northern Bypass, has decided to establish at least five new police pickets to ensure safe and secure passage to the goods carriers, official sources told Business Recorder on Friday.
The department has also decided to increase police patrolling on Northern Bypass to control kidnapping and looting incidents. They said that the department has decided to depute police force on route of goods supply to other provinces. The department has finalised a plan, under which a special team of 18 constables and 54 police personnel would be deputed at red zones to restrain looting incidents on Northern Bypass.
The department would issue instructions to all concerned authorities within few days for taking measures to provide security to goods transporters. When contacted Special Secretary Home Collin Kamran Dost said that a meeting of transporters with officials of home department was held, wherein the security issue was discussed.
He said that the goods carriers apprised that they could not carry out their activities in prevailing circumstances, warning if the government fails to provide them security on the routes they would go on strike for indefinite period. He said that they told there was no police picket at Northern Bypass due to which plunderers loot transporters easily.
He said that the goods carriers complained that they were facing difficulties in registration of FIR at concerned police stations of the incidents, as the police officials demand bribe for the same. He said that the transporters also complained about absence of police personnel on the routes, adding some times transporters could not enter into the city and remained outside Karachi till next day due to security concerns.
Talking Business Recorder, President Karachi Goods Carriers Association (KGCA) Noor Khan Niazi said the government did not provide security to the transporters and seemed to fail in ensuring safe passage to the goods carriers.
He said that plundering incidents were increased for last two months while provincial home department was claiming a remarkable decline in crime incidents from December 2008. He said that they have met with Town Police Officer (TPO) Anwar Ahmed and discussed with him about the problems faced by goods carriers on Northern Bypass but no to avail.
He said that the provincial government was working to provide security to transporters community by enhancing patrolling and establishing new check posts on Northern Bypass but due to alleged involvement of some black sheep in police department in looting incidents, it was unlikely the incidents were eliminated. He demanded of the government to look into the matter, warning if government fails to ensure security to goods carriers they would go on strike for an indefinite period.