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       KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Syed Murad Ali Shah directed police on Monday to regulate the sale of new and used mobile phones and take strict action against scrap dealers involved in trading the parts of stolen vehicles.

       Chairing a high-level meeting at the CM House, he instructed the law enforcement agencies to ensure that all transactions of mobile phones in Karachi and other districts were documented and legally verified.

       Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ghulam Nabi Memon informed the meeting that standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the mobile phone trade had been finalised in coordination with the Mobile Market Association.

       The meeting reviewed progress on the campaign against stolen vehicles and motorcycle parts. It was shared that 234 scrap dealers had been arrested. Additionally, 27 individuals were apprehended in joint operations of the FIA and police for illegally unlocking IMEI numbers of the stolen phones.

       Attention was drawn to the misuse of vehicles with blue lights, tinted windows, and fancy number plates.

       Orders crackdown on junk dealers involved in trade of stolen vehicle parts

       It was told that police had confiscated over 14,000 vehicles with unauthorised blue lights, more than 81,000 with tinted windows and 253,000 with modified number plates. More than 500 vehicles were impounded for displaying weapons. A total of 1,474 FIRs had been lodged, leading to the recovery of Rs34.6 million in fines.

       The police briefed that 245 encounters took place this year, in which 38 suspects were killed, 262 injured and 1,983 arrested. The Shaheen Force has been reactivated with a 386-motorcycle squad assigned to monitor street crime hotspots. Additionally, the Madadgar-15 service has also been upgraded with 120 new bikes and improved call center facilities.

       It was reported that 2,000 surveillance cameras were active in Karachi, with 325 new units being added and 500 older ones undergoing upgrades. Around 40,000 community-supported CCTV cameras have also been installed across the city. The Sindh Smart Surveillance System project is underway with the installation of cameras for automatic number plate (ANPR) and facial recognition under the Karachi Safe City Project.

       The meeting also discussed police infrastructure. Out of 31 targeted police stations, 10 have been renovated using the allocated Rs280 million. Work on the remaining ones is expected to be completed within a month.

       The home minister informed that e-tagging of repeat offenders was set to begin, with 4,000 devices procured for the pilot phase. Rules and SOPs for the project were already in place, he added.The CM stressed the need for a structured prisoner rehabilitation plan and proposed establishment of special courts for murder and narcotics-related cases. Recruitment of 400 prosecutors on contract is underway to support investigations.

       The CM called for the enhanced policing in Sukkur and Larkana divisions to counter kidnappings for ransom. He directed swift action to prevent such crimes and improve the overall law and order situation in those regions.

       Regarding operations in the katcha region, it was reported that from January to March 2025, 22 kidnappings were committed and of them 17 victims recovered. The CM directed intensified efforts in unresolved cases and reinforced operations in Shikarpur, Kashmore, Ghotki and Sukkur.

       Officials reported that since April 2024, operations in katcha areas had been supported by Sindh Rangers and use of advanced technology, including drone cameras and night vision devices. So far, 85 dacoits had been killed, 166 injured, while 20 policemen lost their lives and 33 received injuries, they said.

       Elevated structure okayed to save three villages

       At another meeting, the CM approved the design of an interchange at Korangi Causeway and authorised the construction of a four-kilometre elevated structure on the Malir Expressway, renamed recently as Shahrah-i-Bhutto, to protect three villages in Malir.

       The elevated structure on the Malir riverbed was okayed to prevent the displacement of Samoo Village, Lasi Village and Old Shafi Village. The structure has been designed by a consultant.

       The CM noted that the starting point for the Korangi Causeway leading to Shahrah-i-Bhutto is located 200 meters before the Jam Sadiq Interchange. To enhance connectivity between DHA and Korangi, it was crucial to construct a permanent interchange or a roundabout at the existing Korangi Causeway. That, he said, would facilitate traffic flow from all directions, including Korangi, DHA and Sharea Faisal (KPT Interchange), he said.

       The CM instructed the project director (PD) of Shahrah-i-Bhutto to prepare the PC-I and submit it to the planning & development (P&D) department for approval within the next three days. He also set a deadline of December 2025 for the completion of the Korangi Causeway Interchange roundabout.

       Murad Ali Shah was informed that work on the connectivity from Shahrah-i-Bhutto (Jam Sadiq Interchange) had been suspended pending his approval. Following a thorough discussion, he approved the design of the interchange.

       Work on the Jam Sadiq Interchange has achieved 58 per cent progress but halted due to the Yellow Line project. The CM directed the transport department to complete their portion of the Yellow Line, which is one-kilometre long, by June so that the interchange could become operational.

       The 39-kilometer-long Shahrah-i-Bhutto is a high-speed, three-lane access-controlled road equipped with modern facilities. It represents the largest public-private partnership (PPP) project in Sindh, linking DHA and Korangi to the Hyderabad Motorway (M-9) near Kathore.

       Shahrah-i-Bhutto features six dedicated interchanges that facilitate swift access for northbound traffic and various industrial areas of Karachi. The expressway is designed around a tolling mechanism, with provisions for toll plazas and gates at all entry and exit points.

       The CM was informed that the work on the EBM Interchange had been completed while the Quaidabad Interchange was 85 per cent complete. He instructed the concerned project director to make it operational by April 30.

       It was noted that work on the Dumloti Interchange was in progress, but the pace of work on the Memon Goth Interchange had slowed due to interventions from Karachi Electric (KE) and local wells. The CM directed the energy department and local government to help resolve those issues.

       Shahrah-i-Bhutto is a 38.661-kilometre, three-lane carriageway designed for a speed of 100 km/hour. Having a 100-meter right of way, it features six interchanges, along with two main toll plazas and 10 intermediate plazas.

       The first segment, from Korangi Causeway to Quaidabad, is 95 per cent complete, while the overall progress of the project stands at 78 per cent./

       Published in Dawn, April 8th, 2025