KARACHI: Certain elements demand that army should be called in to handle the situation in Karachi but the crucial thing is to rectify the system, Director General (DG) Rangers Major General Rizwan Akhtar said on Wednesday.
Speaking to the media after the inauguration of a new Command and Control Centre in Karachi, Akhtar said no force can bring peace to the city until the existing structure was fixed.
Akhtar further highlighted the major problems in the metropolis and said mismanagement of immigrants, uncontrolled urban expansion, continued patronage of land mafia, illegal hydrant business and smuggling are the main causes of unrest in Karachi.
He said his force has recommended a system to monitor the flow of people in and out of the city but it has not yet materialised.
“We are checking the entry and exit points informally but this system needs to be institutionalised to make it effective,” he said.
Speaking about land mafia and street crimes, Akhtar said these matters were very complex and his force does not have enough manpower to get involved and efficiently solve the problem.
The DG Rangers said that his personnel have been working hard to restore peace in the city for the last 18 years but with limited powers.
He explained that the additional powers given to the paramilitary force after the Karachi law and order suo motu case were just on paper.
“We could only search and arrest suspected criminals; we could not detain them. As per the law, we have to hand over suspects to the police who have their own limitations,” he said.
The DG Rangers said criminals should be brought to justice to ensure peace.
