Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah has said the kidnapping of Syed Awais Shah, son of Chief Justice of Sindh Court, from a market of posh area is serious security lapse. "But, I have taken it seriously and Inshallah he would be recovered soon," he hoped.
This he said while presiding over a high level meeting on law and order at the CM House on Tuesday. The agenda of meeting was to evolve strategy to recover Advocate Awais Shah, to work out concrete measures for sustainable peace in the city, to review overall Karachi operation and security plan for 21th Ramzan.
The IG Sindh police AD Khwaja while briefing the chief minister said that Awais Shah was kidnapped by four armed men from the courtyard of a shopping centre at about 2.30pm. "We have recovered his car parked outside the shopping centre and have recorded statements of three eye-witnesses," he said.
He said that the family of Awais Shah came to know just before Iftar that he was missing and reported to the police. "On the instructions of chief minister, I and chief secretary went to chief justice Sajjad Ali Shah and discussed the kidnapping of his son," he said and added by the time the chief minister mobilised all the forces, personally talked to DG Rangers and intelligence agencies.
The IG said that with the help and close co-ordination of Rangers and intelligence agencies the suspects' car in which Awais Shah was kidnapped has been has been identified and have traced it's movement. "We are sure this case would be worked out with the co-ordinated efforts of all the agencies," he assured. The chief minister said that it was a serious lapse. "How it is possible that four muffled men equipped with heavy weapons kidnap a person from the courtyard of a shopping centre at 2.30pm and the police and the other agencies doesn't know until the victim's family points it out," he questioned and said "It is quite surprising and painful."
DG Rangers Major General Bilal Akbar said that Karachi operation was going on in full swing. "There is dire need to make it more effective and comprehensive," he said and added that this would make peace in city sustainable. Talking about the kidnapping of Syed Awais Shah, he said that different terrorist organisations were operating to destabilise the country. "This is serious incident and we all are working on it very seriously and working it out with different angels," he said.
The chief minister directed all the agencies to intensify operation cleanup and purge the city of terrorists and criminals. "Enough is enough- there should be zero tolerance for criminal activities," he said loudly. The representatives of intelligence agencies shared their intelligence work with the chief minister and said that through geo-fencing they would be able to trace the car in which Syed Awais Shah was kidnapped. They added that they were also working on the activity of his mobile phone till it was switched off.
The chief minister said that street crime was on the rise in the city. "Criminals are moving freely in the shopping centres, at roundabouts and other such areas for looting and plundering," he said and added that this kind of crime must be crushed. Taking some policy decisions, the chief minister directed Excise & Taxation and police department to launch campaign against fake number plates. On this Senior Minister for Finance Syed Murad Ali Shah pointed out that some people in the city were using fake number plates of police vehicles on their luxurious vehicles. This should be stopped strictly. The chief minister while taking another policy decision ordered all agencies to launch crack down on illegal weapons. The illegal weapons were used in criminal activities.
He also decided the law minister to personally monitor prosecution. "There are still serious complaints that some criminals have succeeded in getting bails from the courts," the chief minister said. The meeting decided to keep an eye on the activities of aliens living in Karachi and other parts of the province. The meeting decided to further strengthen the scanning systems developed at entry and exist points of border areas of the province. "I would suggest you to make checking system more strong and automated," the chief minister said.
The meeting decided that they would keep their intelligence reports sharing with all the agencies and would also be sending progress report to the chief minister after every three hours. The chief minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah directed the IG and Rangers to beef up security on 21 Ramzan and provide fool proof security to majalis and processions. The meeting was attended by provincial ministers, Syed Murad Ali Shah, Sohail Siyal, Murtaza Wahab, Mola Bux Chandio, Chief Secretary, DG Rangers, Principal Secretary, IGP Sindh, Adl IG CTD, provincial heads of intelligence agencies and others.
Later, the chief minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah went to chief Justice of Sindh High Court Syed Sajaad Ali Shah and shared the intelligences' reports and the progress made so far in the kidnapping case of his son with him. The chief minister assured the chief justice that his son would be recovered very soon. "I am personally monitoring the operation," he said.