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KARACHI – The Defence Housing Authority (DHA) and
Cantonment Board of Clifton (CBC) have tightened security measures to
pre-empt militancy, targeted killings and organised crime in Karachi,
officials told Central Asia Online April 5.
"We have increased patrolling of vigilance teams, set up pickets ...
and are also co-ordinating with police and Rangers to take timely action
against the outlaws," Karachi DHA Security and Vigilance Director Brig.
(ret.) Azhar Manzoor told Central Asia Online.
"With the support of law enforcement agencies, we have searched the Badar Commercial Area in DHA, leading to the recovery of weapons and arrests of several now being interrogated for alleged involvement in militancy, killings and street crimes," he said.
The DHA is not a law enforcement agency, but it is gathering information about criminal activity and relying on police and Rangers to make the arrests. "Our mobile and vigilance teams monitor the [neighbourhood] around the clock, and they immediately call the police or Rangers when they see any unlawful activity in their area," he said.
Tensions in the Defence area have been high since a September 2011 Pakistani Taliban attack on Criminal Investigation Department (CID) chief Chaudhry Aslam's house that killed eight people. Aslam survived unharmed.
The increased focus on security is paying off, officials say.
"We have arrested scores of outlaws from the Defence area in collaboration with the DHA and CBC and are interrogating them for their alleged involvement in militancy, killings, kidnapping for ransom, robberies and mobile phones snatching," Imran Shaukat, senior superintendent of police and spokesman of Karachi police, told Central Asia Online April 5. "We will carry out raids in different areas in Defence to round up the elements playing with the lives and property of the people."
The Sindh caretaker government has given a "free hand" to the law enforcement agencies, allowing them to maintain peace in the city, he said, adding that the intensified search operations, arrests of hundreds of suspected militants and criminals, and the recovery of weapons visibly have improved the law-and-order situation in Karachi in recent weeks. The caretaker government is in office until the May 11 general election.
The DHA neighbourhood has 59 main entrance and exit points that mobile teams and cameras have to monitor, he said, and teams are monitoring them.
In another collaborative effort with police, the DHA has prompted raids on three sheesha parlours (hookah smoking cafés) that young adults and teens have been frequenting.
During the raids, authorities sealed the cafés and DHA officials warned the youngsters not to return to such establishments, he said.
Smoking cafés have been gaining popularity in the area, concerning the DHA, residents and parents who don't want their children addicted to the expensive pastime, Manzoor said.
The DHA will continue to close down the cafés to discourage this culture of smoking in youth, he added.
CBC laws ban such groups, but political parties having strong support in the previous government have protected them, he said.
"In the past the CBC had been facing political pressure to keep the offices and activities within the boundaries of the CBC," he said April 3.
The caretaker government has decided to discourage the activities of political parties, including ethnically based ones, in Defence and the CBC teams are now able to do their job with the support of law enforcement agencies, he added.
Now that those groups don't have political support, it is easier for the CBC to involve law enforcement agencies and take action, Suharwardy said.
"We will take every legal measure that strengthens security," he added.
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![Young men rush out of a hookah smoking café during a police raid April 4 in the Defence area. Several smoking cafés have been closed in the Defence area of Karachi. [Javed Mahmood]](http://centralasiaonline.com/shared/images/2013/04/08/pakkarachi1.jpg)
Young men rush out of a hookah smoking café during a police raid
April 4 in the Defence area. Several smoking cafés have been closed in
the Defence area of Karachi. [Javed Mahmood]
"With the support of law enforcement agencies, we have searched the Badar Commercial Area in DHA, leading to the recovery of weapons and arrests of several now being interrogated for alleged involvement in militancy, killings and street crimes," he said.
The DHA is not a law enforcement agency, but it is gathering information about criminal activity and relying on police and Rangers to make the arrests. "Our mobile and vigilance teams monitor the [neighbourhood] around the clock, and they immediately call the police or Rangers when they see any unlawful activity in their area," he said.
Tensions in the Defence area have been high since a September 2011 Pakistani Taliban attack on Criminal Investigation Department (CID) chief Chaudhry Aslam's house that killed eight people. Aslam survived unharmed.
The increased focus on security is paying off, officials say.
"We have arrested scores of outlaws from the Defence area in collaboration with the DHA and CBC and are interrogating them for their alleged involvement in militancy, killings, kidnapping for ransom, robberies and mobile phones snatching," Imran Shaukat, senior superintendent of police and spokesman of Karachi police, told Central Asia Online April 5. "We will carry out raids in different areas in Defence to round up the elements playing with the lives and property of the people."
The Sindh caretaker government has given a "free hand" to the law enforcement agencies, allowing them to maintain peace in the city, he said, adding that the intensified search operations, arrests of hundreds of suspected militants and criminals, and the recovery of weapons visibly have improved the law-and-order situation in Karachi in recent weeks. The caretaker government is in office until the May 11 general election.
DHA increases use of closed-circuit cameras, raids sheesha parlours
One measure the DHA is taking is to increase the number of closed-circuit cameras (CCCs), Manzoor told Central Asia Online. It already had installed CCCs in some areas but now is installing more.The DHA neighbourhood has 59 main entrance and exit points that mobile teams and cameras have to monitor, he said, and teams are monitoring them.
In another collaborative effort with police, the DHA has prompted raids on three sheesha parlours (hookah smoking cafés) that young adults and teens have been frequenting.
During the raids, authorities sealed the cafés and DHA officials warned the youngsters not to return to such establishments, he said.
Smoking cafés have been gaining popularity in the area, concerning the DHA, residents and parents who don't want their children addicted to the expensive pastime, Manzoor said.
The DHA will continue to close down the cafés to discourage this culture of smoking in youth, he added.
Political, ethnic activism no longer welcome
The CBC also is acting against unlawful political and ethnic activism, CBC spokesman Aziz Suharwardy told Central Asia Online, adding that such activism could lead to terrorist attacks, clashes and violence.CBC laws ban such groups, but political parties having strong support in the previous government have protected them, he said.
"In the past the CBC had been facing political pressure to keep the offices and activities within the boundaries of the CBC," he said April 3.
The caretaker government has decided to discourage the activities of political parties, including ethnically based ones, in Defence and the CBC teams are now able to do their job with the support of law enforcement agencies, he added.
Now that those groups don't have political support, it is easier for the CBC to involve law enforcement agencies and take action, Suharwardy said.
"We will take every legal measure that strengthens security," he added.
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