KARACHI - Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah, while expressing sorrow over the recent killings of traders in Old City areas, said on Saturday his government had decided to swoop on criminals and extortionists to bring the situation under control.

Chairing a meeting on law and order at the Chief Minister’s House, Qaim held out assurances to the business community of prompt relief and arrest of extortionists and attackers.
He asserted that positive results would come out within the next few days across Karachi, particularly in Old City – the centre of commerce and trade activities.
“Police have been directed to provide security and protection to markets, trade centres and banks,” said the chief minister, adding that he had given free hand to the police in larger interest of the trading community.
Qaim, however, dispelled the notion that the action to be launched would be politically influenced, maintaining that the ruling PPP did not believe in the politics of vengeance, nor did it take revenge from its opponents in the past.
“We will not allow anyone to commit excesses,” he went on to say.
The chief minister meanwhile warned that in the case of any crime in any area, DSP and SHO concerned would be held responsible and might be suspended over delinquency.
Claiming that the law and order was under control in interior Sindh, Qaim vowed that the scourges of extortion and targeted killings would soon be rooted out from Karachi as well. He said that major changes had been brought to the police hierarchy in the City’s south up to the DIG level to achieve desired results.
Qaim reiterated that his government was committed to protection of life and property of the citizens.
The meeting was informed by Sindh Police chief Mushtaq Shah that the law-enforcement agency was trying to normalise the situation within the resources available to it. He said that more police and FC reinforcements were being called out from interior Sindh while 10 police mobile vehicles and 30 motorcycles had been sent to the Old City for intensified patrolling.
The IGP further said that 1,000 surveillance cameras were being installed.
Earlier, an 80-member delegation of businessmen and heads of trade organisations, including Siraj Qasim Teli, Zubair Motiwala, Javed Shaikh, Hafeez, Muhammad Ismail, Aszhaul Hasan, Muhammad Haroon, Talat Mehmood, Muhammad Yousaf, highlighted their problems and demanded stern action against criminals and extortionists.
Among others the meeting was attended by Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Syed Sohail Akbar Shah, Additional IGP Akhtar Gorchani and DIG Police South Mushtaq Mahar.