KARACHI, Aug 21 (APP): The Caretaker Sindh Cabinet in its maiden meeting on Monday decided to take strict measures for controlling law & order, particularly action against dacoits in the Katcha area and street criminals in Karachi.

Caretaker Chief Minister Justice (retd) Maqbool Baqar presided over the cabinet’s introductory meeting, which was attended by caretaker ministers Brig (retd) Haris Nawaz, Younus Dhaga, Mubeen Juamni, Dr Saad khalid, Dr Junaid Shah, Mrs Rana Hussain, Ishwar Lal, Arshad Wali Muhammad, Omar Soomro and Khuda Bux Marri.

At the outset, the caretaker chief minister said he had an agenda for good governance and service to the people of Sindh, besides supporting the Election Commission of Pakistan for carrying out its work.

Justice Baqar said in the aftermath of the floods, poverty had increased manifold in the province and concrete measures were needed to tackle it.

He said the caretaker government was apolitical. “We are not here to raise fingers of accusation against others, but we will try to improve the governance to serve the people and support the Election Commission of Pakistan in their assignment,” he added.

Justice Baqar said there was a need of promoting enter-faith harmony in the province. The people of different faiths and beliefs had lived together there, but anti-state elements were trying to create law and order by igniting religious hatred and “we must stop it”.

As it was pointed out that the dacoits had developed the sway in the Katcha area, the cabinet decided to launch an operation against the criminals. The home minister was directed to chalk out a plan in consultation with the police and other law enforcement agencies so that a well-coordinated clean-up operation against the dacoits could be launched.

The cabinet members observed that due to some ongoing development works in the city traffic jam issues cropped up during the peak hours, therefore the traffic police was directed to manage traffic flow properly.

The cabinet after a thorough discussion decided to expedite work on the ongoing development schemes, and to accelerate work on the foreign-funded projects so that they could be completed well in time.

It was pointed out that the people from far-flung areas visited government offices in Karachi and in their respective districts where their problems were not being resolved. The chief minister directed all the ministers, particularly of the Revenue, Local Government, Police, and Health to direct their respective departments to make their offices functional and public-oriented everywhere.

The cabinet expressed satisfaction that Sindh had become polio free from the last two years but the virus was still alive in different areas. The Health Minister was urged to take necessary measures to make this province free from the crippling disease of polio.

The chief minister directed all the caretaker ministers to prepare presentations of their respective departments for him so that decisions could be taken for public interest accordingly.