Inspector General of Police (IGP) Sindh Jawed Alam Odho Tuesday revealed that under the ongoing Operation Nijat-e-Mehran launched against heavily armed criminal gangs operating in Sindh’s katcha areas, at least 41 notorious dacoits had been killed, 123 arrested in injured condition and over 320 surrendered before law enforcement authorities during the last four months.
Addressing the business community during his visit to Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, IGP stated that the successful operation had restored the writ of the state in areas previously considered inaccessible and had significantly improved the security of key trade and transport routes linking Karachi with the rest of the country.
Chairman Businessmen Group Zubair Motiwala, Vice Chairman BMG Jawed Bilwani, President KCCI Rehan Hanif, Senior Vice President Muhammad Raza, Vice President Arif Lakhani, Former Presidents Younus Muhammad Bashir, Shamim Ahmed Firpo, Muhammad Idrees and Iftikhar Ahmed Sheikh, Chairman Law and Order Subcommittee Akram Rana, Chief Police Chamber Liaison Committee Hafeez Aziz and others attended the meeting.
He noted that Karachi’s overall security environment had improved considerably in recent years, while incidents of street crime had also witnessed a declining trend. However, he stressed that continuous vigilance, institutional coordination and constructive feedback from stakeholders remained essential to sustain and further improve the situation.
Discussing Karachi’s traffic challenges, the IGP observed that one of the city’s biggest structural issues was the concentration of wholesale markets and freight movement within densely populated commercial areas. He stressed the need for long-term urban planning, including the gradual relocation of major wholesale markets outside the city center and the development of dedicated expressways connecting industrial zones and ports with highways. He also highlighted the importance of expanding road connectivity through projects such as the Northern Bypass expansion and elevated expressways linking Karachi and Bin Qasim Ports with industrial zones.
IGP informed participants that Sindh Police had intensified enforcement measures through Safe City surveillance systems and AI-based monitoring technologies to identify traffic violations, fake or concealed number plates and reckless driving. He warned that vehicles using tampered number plates would face strict legal action, including FIR registration and vehicle impoundment.
Addressing the issue of narcotics, IGP described drugs as one of the gravest threats facing society and the younger generation. He disclosed that during recent anti-narcotics operations, Sindh Police had arrested more than 1,700 drug dealers and seized significant quantities of heroin, hashish and other narcotics.
Referring to the recent arrest of a high-profile female drug supplier ‘Pinky’, the IGP cautioned against glamorizing criminals and drug traffickers through sensationalized portrayals on social media and other platforms. He stressed that such individuals should not be projected as glamorous or heroic figures, as this could negatively influence young people and encourage criminal behavior.
On the issue of encroachments and land grabbing, Jawed Alam Odho informed participants that the Government of Sindh had established high-level committees under the supervision of the Home Department and Commissioner Karachi to address complaints related to illegal occupation of land and encroachments. He invited KCCI to nominate a focal person to coordinate with authorities for prompt resolution of complaints faced by the business community.
He further announced that Sindh Police was working with the Government of Sindh to modernize Karachi’s traffic management system through smart and dynamic traffic signals, improved road signage, better road markings and advanced traffic engineering practices. A proposal had also been submitted to establish a professional traffic management company under a public-private model aimed at improving Karachi’s urban mobility infrastructure.
Chairman BMG Zubair Motiwala, while appreciating the improved law and order situation in Karachi, stated that incidents of car snatching, motorcycle theft and street crime had declined considerably compared to previous years. The city’s overall security environment had witnessed visible improvement during the past several months, which was encouraging for the business community and citizens alike.
Zubair Motiwala, however, observed that narcotics had emerged as one of the gravest challenges facing society, particularly the younger generation. He expressed serious concern over the growing use of drugs in universities, colleges and schools, and urged law enforcement agencies to intensify efforts against drug suppliers and organized narcotics networks.
He also drew attention to reports regarding increasing drug-related activities in certain gated communities and residential colonies, where groups of youngsters frequently gather due to the relatively secure and closed environments. He requested the police authorities to closely monitor such areas and take timely preventive measures to curb the spread of narcotics.
Vice Chairman BMG Jawed Bilwani stated that the smart signal system, which automatically adjusts according to traffic flow, had already demonstrated positive results at PIDC Traffic Signal hence, it should immediately be expanded to other major arteries of Karachi. He observed that such systems would be especially beneficial during late-night hours when traffic remains minimal on certain roads, thereby reducing unnecessary waiting time and improving traffic flow.
Jawed Bilwani also stressed the need for restructuring and modernizing the Traffic Engineering Bureau, stating that the institution had become ineffective in addressing Karachi’s growing traffic challenges. He suggested that the bureau should either be placed under the administrative control of Karachi Metropolitan Corporation or integrated more closely with traffic police operations to ensure practical and timely traffic management decisions.
He further emphasized the urgent need to expedite the Safe City Project, terming it critical for improving both traffic management and crime control in Karachi. He said the project would significantly ease the operational burden on traffic police personnel while also strengthening the overall capacity of law enforcement agencies through modern surveillance and monitoring systems.
President KCCI Rehan Hanif, while welcoming IGP Sindh, stated that incidents of street crimes, short-term kidnappings and other criminal activities, which had once created an atmosphere of fear among citizens and the business community, have significantly declined due to effective policing and sustained efforts by law enforcement agencies. Referring to the issue of dacoits operating in katcha areas, he noted that the situation on highways and intercity travel routes has improved considerably as compared to the past.
Highlighting the growing concern of heavy traffic accidents involving tankers and trailers, President KCCI emphasized the need for strict monitoring of vehicle fitness standards, particularly the use of substandard retreaded tyres in heavy vehicles, which he termed one of the major causes behind fatal accidents in Karachi.
Drawing attention towards land grabbing activities in Karachi, he suggested establishing a rapid response mechanism or focal person within the police department to immediately respond to complaints of illegal occupation attempts before such occupations become difficult to reverse.