RECORDER REPORT

HYDERABAD: The Inspector General Sindh Police AD Khwaja has said 4 districts of Sindh are particularly sensitive with regard to the terrorist attacks during Muharram. He informed at a press conference here on Friday that Hyderabad, Jacobabad, Shikarpur and Sukkur were among the districts which had been declared sensitive.

“We have received intelligence reports that the terrorists might attack these districts,” he added. However, the IGP said the police had made stringent security arrangements while other law enforcement and intelligence agencies were in also round the clock coordination with the police to prevent any such incident. “We must remember the courage and sacrifice of the policemen who foiled a terrorist attack in Khanpur in Eidul Azha,” he recalled.

Responding to a query, Khwaja informed that the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), which was headed by Additional IG Dr Sanaullah Abbasi, was being activated in all districts of Sindh. So far, the CTD was active only in Karachi, Hyderabad, Nawabshah, Sukkur, Larkana and Mirpurkhas at the divisional level, he added. He informed that 1,500 policemen were being appointed with the aim to make the district based CTD units functional.

Replying to a question, he informed that the district administration or the police had not installed CCTV system in Hyderabad. “The police are installing the CCTV cameras at certain important locations in Hyderabad. We have also requested the organizers of the mourning processions and majalis that they should also install the CCTV cameras at their respective events,” he told.

The IG said Rs10 billion schemes for installation of the CCTV cameras in the districts of Sindh were being prepared to ensure the security surveillance. Khwaja said the Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah had directed the Divisional Commissioners to ensure that the load shedding was not carried out during evening and night time in the areas where processions and majalis were taking place.

The province’s police chief said there was a shortage of 20,000 policemen in the police force, adding that the same would be addressed by new appointments in the department.

Earlier, the IGP chaired a meeting to review the security arrangements. During the meeting the DIGs of Hyderabad, Nawabshah and Mirpurkhas divisions briefed the IGP about arrangements in the districts of their respective police ranges. The SSPs of the districts of Hyderabad, Nawabshah and Mirpurkhas divisions also attended the meeting and briefed the IGP about the arrangements.