By Moin Ullah Shah
KARACHI: Inspector General of Police Sindh, Javed Alam Odho, told a gathering of business leaders that law and order across the province, including the so-called katcha areas, had improved significantly and that highways were now fully secure for trade and public movement.
The meeting took place during his visit to the central office of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI), where he was warmly received by senior vice president and other office bearers of the federation on 14 May 2026.
The event was attended by Patron-in-Chief SM Tanveer, FPCCI senior vice president Saquib Fayyaz Magoon, and several business leaders, industrialists and representatives from different cities. Officials from law enforcement agencies, including the DIG Traffic Karachi, SSP South and SSP Media and Public Relations, were also present, along with business representatives from Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Business leaders praised the Sindh police leadership and said improvements in security had restored confidence among traders. They said highways in Sindh, particularly in previously troubled katcha areas, had become safe following targeted operations, and street crime in major cities including Karachi had declined.
They also appreciated the use of smart traffic signals, surveillance cameras and enforcement measures, saying these had contributed to a visible reduction in street crime and improved public safety.
IG Sindh said he was grateful to the business community for their support and stated that close cooperation between police and traders had always existed. He said improvements in security were the result of collective efforts of officers and personnel across the force.
He said operations in katcha areas under what he described as Operation Nijaat-e-Mehran had led to the dismantling of criminal networks involved in kidnapping for ransom and extortion, adding that no no-go areas existed in Sindh anymore.
He said more than 1,700 criminals had been arrested in various operations and confirmed that anti-drug campaigns were continuing under a zero-tolerance policy with support from federal agencies and intelligence institutions.
He also said that efforts were being made not only to curb drug supply but also to address demand, adding that rehabilitation centres would be established for drug-affected individuals, particularly youth, with support from the government and civil society.
The IG said Karachi’s Safe City project phase two would be launched soon, and more than 40,000 cameras installed in collaboration with traders had already improved crime detection.
He added that reforms were being introduced to modernise policing, strengthen electronic surveillance at police stations and improve the thana system to ensure citizen-friendly policing.
At the end of the session, he distributed certificates among business focal persons.
