Camera powered off when Hamid Mir attacked: IGP | Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)

Pakistan Press Foundation

Camera powered off when Hamid Mir attacked: IGP

Pakistan Press Foundation

KARACHI: Inspector General of Police (IGP) Sindh Iqbal Mehmood on Saturday disclosed that the monitoring camera was powered off due to loadshedding at the time of attack on Geo News Senior Anchor Hamid Mir.

“The CCTV installed – monitoring the place where Hamid Mir was attacked – was not working due to loadshedding and stand-by batteries were also consumed its 15-20 minutes back-up,” IGP Sindh said while talking to media after meeting with members of Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI).

He, however, claimed that other 11 CCTV cameras at Shahra-e-Faisal were working normally.

The IGP said that geo-fencing in Hamid Mir case had been completed and the law enforcement agencies tracked about 150,000 mobile phones, which were found having identity issues.

He said that police department had not information about the arrival of Hamid Mir. Iqbal Mehmood requested that Interior Ministry should inform the department about the movement of high profile personalities to ensure their security.

The IGP declined to comment on the investigation about the involvement of any intelligence agency in Hamid Mir case.

Earlier, at the meeting he urged the business community to use its influence in blocking the illegal SIMs. “The elimination of illegal SIMs will help in bringing down crimes to half,” he said.

He said that the police department had requested the prime minister several times to issue instructions in this regard. “Very recently biometric system has been introduced for new SIMs,” he said and added that until the old illegal SIMs were blocked, it would remain a threat to law and order.

The IGP said that Station House Officers (SHOs) should be removed and superintended police should be replaced to improve the investigation. “The withdrawal of SHOs will help in eliminating encroachment and other street crimes,” he added.

He said that the some elements were disturbing the peace due to economic factor. He said that in the city there were nine strong ethnicities and all of them had criminal elements.

He said that after start of anti-crime operation in Karachi, the ratio of murders had come down to present 114 a month against September 2013 level of 253. However, the ratio increased in the month of January 2014.

Earlier, the business community informed the IGP that the poor law and order situation was badly hampering production activities.

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