Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah has assured the business community that law and order in the city would improve after delegation of magistrate's powers to Deputy Commissioners (DCs). Addressing the members of Site Association of Industry (SAI) on Monday, Qaim said he was well aware of the fragile law and order condition in the city and understood the business community's concerns.
"Efforts are being made to boost economic activities in the city and keep the industries running without any fear," he assured. The Chief Minister admitted that the prevailing atmosphere in the city was not favourable for business due to which industrialists were shifting their units to other areas. He was of the view that joint efforts of the business community and law enforcing agencies were needed to ensure business-friendly environment in industrial and commercial areas of the city.
The Chief Minister directed the Inspector General of Police (IG) to increase the number of police personnel in Site industrial area to 500. He warned that action would be taken if they failed to bring improvement in law and order. Qaim also assured that construction and carpeting work of roads in Site industrial area would be initiated after presentation of the Sindh Budget. He advised the MD Site Limited to invest site funds in the industrial area.
Replying to a question, the CM said that killings in the city were the result of conflicts among different groups of extortion mafia and land grabbers. Sindh Minister for Industries and Commerce Rauf Siddiqui recalled that three years ago he had suggested construction of boundary wall around all industrial estates, establishment of police pickets at entry and exit points and installation of vigilance cameras. He added that President Asif Ali Zardari had approved rupees one billion for the project but it had not been released so far. Leader of Business Community and former president KCCI Siraj Kassim Teli suggested that the government should abolish ban on arm license so that every citizen should have arms to defend itself. In this way, he added crime rate in the city would reduce.
Former senior vice-president KCCI Jawaid Bilwani suggested that possessing arm license should be allowed to only those businessmen who pay income tax. SAI Chairman Mohammad Irfan Moton said incidents of snatching and armed robberies were on the rise in the industrial areas and the industrialists were considering shifting abroad.
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