On Friday, Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari saw an alarming increase in deaths in traffic accidents involving big trucks. He then instructed the Sindh government to implement all-out actions to reduce such occurrences.
Under the backdrop of the terrorist attack on thein Balochistan, the instructions arrived at a high level meeting Mr Bhutto-Zardari presided over here at the Chief Minister House to evaluate the general security situation in the province.
The discussion concentrated on the police operation against bandits in the Katcha area, the development of the Safe City project in Karachi, road accidents in the provincial capital and law enforcement agency performance in managing general law and order situation in Sindh.
Evaluations of the Safe City Project’s progress, operations against dacoit gangs in a riverine region
Following the conference, a statement released by the CM House claimed that the PPP chairman summoned the gathering to receive updates on law and order in Sindh.
Among others, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon, Minister of Agriculture Muhammad Bakhsh Mahar, Home Minister Zia Lanjar attended the conference at CM House.
The PPP chairman underlined the responsibilities of the Sindh government in preserving law and order as well as guaranteeing safety of people’s life and property.
He underlined that road mishaps in Karachi had to be stopped at all means. He also ordered the Sindh government to intensify its continuous anti-drug campaigns even further.
The law and order situation was relayed to Mr Bhutto-Zardari by the Sindh chief minister.
“We have successfully controlled kidnapping for ransom in several districts of northern Sindh,” the statement said, quoting the CM referring to Sukkur, Ghotki, Kashmore, and Shikarpur.
The chief minister asserted that constant attempts to improve law enforcement helped to bring about changes. Nonetheless, the PPP chairman gave orders to the police on hastening their anti-dacoit operations.
Reiterating the government’s position on crime, the PPP chairman said that other horrible crimes including kidnapping for pay have zero tolerance.
He also ordered the Sindh government to create a policy allowing local women to share state land in the riverine region among themselves and granting ownership rights to the local populace.
Furthermore underlining the PPP’s zero tolerance attitude on any kind of violence against minorities, women, and children is Mr Bhutto-Zardari.
IG’s crime data
From March 2024 to March 2025, the Sindh IG presented to the conference on the law enforcement performance in the northern Sindh districts.
According to the figures, 298 dacoits were hurt and 87 were murdered. Five wanted dacoits were slain, and twelve were detained. Said the statement referencing the Sindh IG briefing, the police also saved 534 kidnapping victims.
The PPP chairman urged that the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD), which has “conducted 2,225 intelligence-based operations, arrested 208 terrorists and killed four,” be strengthened.
The CM Shah told the attendees that the government had set direct budgets for police stations and gave Rs6 billion this year to enhance their operations.
An update on highway security was given by Home Minister Zia Lanjar, who said that 200 police officers were currently escorting 100 vehicles across highways.
In keeping with a larger security program, the Sindh police also began highway patrolling.
Mr. Bhutto-Zardari urged quickening the Karachi Safe City Project’s work pace.
The CM said the project was moving forward and that 1,300 CCTV cameras costing Rs6.62 billion were being placed. First phase will cover high risk regions like the airport corridor and the “red zone”. Added the statement: the CCTV cameras being placed will have facial recognition and vehicle number plate identification, therefore greatly improving security monitoring.
