CPLC to launch new database in Central Jail Karachi

The Citizen Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) has recently introduced a jail up gradation project called Prison Management Information System which will manage the records and history of those imprisoned in local jails, The News has learnt.

CPLC Chief Sharfuddin Memon said that CPLC is planning to upgrade other prisons in Sindh phase-wise, thereby providing law enforcement agencies with a comprehensive record of a suspect or convict, which would help them with investigations.

The Prison Management Information System (PMIS) was initially developed by the CPLC in 2001, under which a jail information system was developed. This was been implemented and computerised to integrate all functions of Sindh jail at all levels. The PMIS software is the latest and state-of-the-art information technology available to help the management, at all levels, including planning, critical analysis, monitoring, decision-making and execution of day-to-day operation.

The requirements of the prison department were reanalysed after the implementation of the PMIS system. Subsequently, the new automated fingerprint identification system (AFIS)-based integrated software was developed with different modules set to perform particular functions, including profile of inmates, prisoner information, prisoner property, prisoner medical information, prisoner enrolment (capturing of fingerprint & image), crime detail, court history, remission system, release diary, search engine, prisoner identification / verification, visitor monitoring – access control system, user privileges, data import export module and dial up module.

Due to the lack of such a system, convicts would often be released earlier than their stipulated term with the help of false names and release orders.

A senior officer, on the condition of anonymity, told The News that the government is interested in adopting newer technologies to help coordinate investigations and share intelligence, thereby addressing long-standing issues of security. There are also suggestions that the scope of this system would soon be broadened to turn it into a country-wide database.

In Sindh, over 3,000 inmates are confined in 21 jails of the province, out of which two-thirds are under trail. Sources said that information about these inmates would not only be computerised, but access to this data would be provided to the judiciary, thereby reducing the number of adjournments granted by judges and magistrates. It is also expected that email links to defence lawyers would expedite advance disclosures and reduce the number of adjournments granted.

Since fingerprints are viewed as the most reliable method of establishing identification, AFIS will be a constituent part of the new system, and access to this would be made available to custody and investigation units where timely identification is critical. The availability of standard-based wide-area network means that all AFISs can be linked together, providing on-line access to all fingerprints stored in the database.

The police officer informed The News that the software would compile the complete record of an inmate, making it difficult for him to be released on a false identity.

The system would also curtail the escapes from courts, as jail police would have complete information of the escapees enabling them to catch the suspects easily.

The system would also help increase court production of prisoners, and maintain a record of the prisoner’s appearances in court. The system would also maintain records of a prisoner’s jail meetings along with their medical history.

The police officer said that often, release orders are issued for inmates after they complete their terms or are even exonerated, but jail staff demand a handsome bribe to release them. If the inmate fails to deliver the amount, then their release is further delayed and the matter turns into one of illegal detention.

Through this system, however, whenever the court issues release orders, the information would come on record and instances of corruption would be reduced. Similarly, a record of items which the inmate was carrying when he was lodged in jail would also be maintained, and these items would be returned to the inmate on his release.

Ebad, Malik and Kamal in Dubai for talks on Local Bodies

The major legislators of MQM including Sindh Governor Dr Ishrat-ul-Ebad Khan and city Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal have also rushed to Dubai.
Reports are pouring in that Interior Minister Rehman Malik is also present there and they all have gone to attend a wedding ceremony but some vital decisions are to take place there also in a closed door meeting regarding the placement of administrator for Karachi while the local governments have been dissolved.
Other issues to be discussed include funds promised by the President Asif Ali Zardari for the development of Karachi.
Dr Asim Hussain, who was also scheduled to leave for Dubai but could not leave due to his other engagements, said that now it is the prerogative of provincial government to appoint a political administrator or one from the bureaucracy. When asked whether Mustafa Kamal will be retained as administrator Karachi as he is also present in Dubai, he said that it is now in the power of provincial government.

POL prices cut on SC order

* Petrol price now Rs 50.58 per litre, HOBC Rs 62.54, kerosene oil Rs 52.89 and light diesel oil Rs 51.46

ISLAMABAD: The government reduced the prices of petroleum products on Tuesday after the Supreme Court temporarily suspended the implementation of the carbon surcharge and directed the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) earlier in the day to issue a notification.

According to an OGRA notification issued late on Tuesday, the government has withdrawn the carbon tax and reduced POL prices that would come into effect today (Wednesday).

According to the notification, petrol prices have been reduced by Rs 11.55 per litre to Rs 50.58 from 62.13, a reduction of 18.6 percent; HOBC prices by Rs 16.24 per litre to Rs 62.54 from 78.78, a reduction of 20 percent; kerosene oil prices by Rs 6.46 per litre to Rs 52.89 from Rs 59.35, a reduction of 11 percent; and light diesel oil prices by Rs 3.48 per litre to Rs 51.46 from Rs 54.94, a reduction of 6.33 percent.

Earlier on Tuesday, a three-member bench – headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry – said the implementation of the carbon tax would remain suspended until a final decision in the case, and then adjourned proceedings until July 9.

PPP Senator Rukhsana Zubairi and PML-N Secretary General Iqbal Zafar Jhagra had filed separate petitions challenging the increase in petroleum prices.

In its short order, the court said as the government had made no effort to protect the environment through carbon tax, it had no right to charge people for the facility.

The court also summoned the environment secretary at the next hearing for an explanation on whether the ministry had proposed the carbon tax.

Appearing on notice, Attorney General Latif Khosa told the court that the government had to impose the tax in order to overcome the budget deficit.

The chief justice, however, observed that such decisions were not in accordance with good governance.

A judicial commission had earlier presented its interim report on rising oil prices in the country and proposed a “fair and proper cut” in petroleum prices.

Bail plea in forex scam case dismissed

KARACHI: The SHC dismissed bail applications of the three directors of M/s Khanani and Kalia International in a money laundering case on Monday.

A division bench comprising Justice Faisal Arab and Justice Safdar Ali Bhutto pronounced the order, which was earlier reserved on the applications of Muhammad Hanif Kalia, Abdul Munaf Kalia and Javed Khanani. Their counsel M Farogh Naseem stated that a challan was submitted in the case tried by the sessions court in Karachi functioning as tribunal under the Foreign Exchange Act. He said that FIA forcibly recorded statements of witnesses which had glaring contradictions, adding that in the light of the sessions court judgement, statements of the witnesses recorded by the prosecuting agency US161 CrPC were not admissible in court of law. Special Prosecutor Shahab Sarki opposed the plea stating that investigations were still in progress and grant of bail at this stage will hamper probe, he added.

The court order stated that at this stage it finds it premature to interfere with the impugned order. In its view, the prosecution has made out a prima facie case against the applications and as such bail is denied to applicants. ppi

Minor girl molested, killed; 2 police men arrested

KARACHI: A minor girl was allegedly molested, tortured, killed and her body was thrown into a sewerage water drain, from where it was taken out, in the city yesterday.
Two police men were arrested on charges of kidnapping and killing the child and a case was registered against them. The accused persons are scheduled to be presented in court today for permission to take their physical remand.
Sindh Minister for Human Rights Nadia Khan Gabol yesterday took serious notice of the case and directed CCPO Karachi to conduct transparent inquiry into the matter and bring accused before justice.
According to details, the dead body of Sana, a three-and-half year old daughter of Qasim Bengali, was missing for about last three days from Zaman Town and was found from a sewerage drain near Gora Qabristan, Defense, near Shahrah-e-Faisal yesterday.
It was also said that when the two traffic police men entered in their house in neighborhood, a five-year old girl, reportedly a friend of the said minor girl Sana, told people that she had seen the missing girl with them. The angry residents of the area caught the accused persons and started beating them. Police men reached to the spot and arrested the accused persons who were later locked up at Zaman Town police station.
The accused persons claimed they did not kill the child and found the body in the water tank of their house and out of fear they had thrown the dead body in a sewerage drain. Police and Edhi volunteers on indication of the accused persons, found the body from there.
Police said that the incident occurred in Noorani Basti, Chakra Goth, Korangi-2 1/2, Zaman Town, that they have arrested Noor Mohammed and Basheer Ahmed, traffic police constables, and a case was registered at the police station.

FEMALES UNDER THE TRAFFIC SIGNALS

By Faraz Ahmed Munis

Significance of efficient traffic control can not be denied because of the complicated traffic flow in the metropolitan cities like Lahore. To improve the complex traffic flow the department decided to introduce new personnel consisting of both males and females. The novelty in the whole process was the recruitment of females in the Traffic Police Department. However, the induction of females is not the sole factor to ensure a better traffic pattern but it is one of the important means to achieve the goal. The induction of females in Traffic Police Department is entirely a new phenomenon introduced in Pakistan. Different societies have different tendencies towards the females joining those jobs which are labeled as “men’s job”. Society like Pakistan has different opinions regarding females’ jobs.

It is appeared that majority of the lady traffic wardens belong to medium income category, so salary, rank and designation turned out to be three significant features in the job that led females to join this arduous job. Lady Wardens and their families considered the job prestigious, but the level of public acceptance is not reasonable which creates hurdles for females in deciding to pursue the job or not. This low level of public acceptance might be because of low literacy rate and the prevailing pre-conceived notions (like women should stay at home or at the most should do office jobs) in our society. It can also become a traumatic factor for females to get prestige which can affect their professional commitment.

Public acceptance is a decisive factor in joining a job for females. Lady Wardens have the view point that literacy level is a distinctive factor for a better public acceptance level. Moreover, the cultural and religious notions attached with working women are a barrier for them to be accepted by the masses. Moreover, public acceptance is a factor that directly or indirectly influences the prestige and authority of the female workers.

Keeping in view the Pakistan’s society the recruitment of females is a radical change, where public is not ready to accept this drastic change abruptly. Although lady traffic wardens are fully facilitating the public in traffic affairs, also educating them about traffic rules and regulations even then the department has not achieved the consent of the general public as far as accepting women as traffic controllers is concerned. The deep rooted pre-conceived notions have restricted females in gaining a respectable and honorable status in our society. As we all have an egalitarian perception that traffic police department is the most corrupt in its nature and uncivilized in behavior, it can substantially affect the performance of lady traffic wardens and it’s a very hard job to get rid of such malicious image.
Induction of women in Traffic Police Department, which is primarily a male-dominated sector, is a new observable fact for masses. The job encompasses both pros and cons for women willing to enter and who are engage in the job. Positive aspect is that it is a new dimension for women empowerment, which can open new paths for women to step on and can explore their abilities and skills. Moreover, if they can compete with men and can go along in the professional field, which is male-oriented. However, the negative side to it is the dire need of satisfactory public acceptance. Poor public acceptance can severely cripple the morale of lady traffic wardens and of the women aspiring to enter in the job.

Giving a new opportunity to women and then receiving warm response from them clearly indicated they have a desire to gain authority and prestige from the job. They also get inclined to those jobs, which are prestigious and authoritative in nature. The lack of opportunity for those jobs, which include prestige and authority, might be the reason they did not opt for any such occupation. Furthermore, the introduction of this new concept woman controlling the traffic on roads is a social change, which will take some time to be properly accepted by the public because radical changes brings about radical reactions and this step was one of those. Conclusively, it is a positive step towards the women empowerment. It is a source of inspiration for upcoming women.

There are certain recommendations for the improvement of the departmental structure. In order to facilitate the lady traffic wardens, policies can be devised for the positive influence on the prestige and authority of lady traffic wardens also how public consent can be achieved which can eventually help the authorities in making the department a better institution.
1. Department should raise public acceptance through different means like arranging seminars, publishing articles, advertisement on print and electronic media and orientation to community people.

2. Lady traffic wardens should be provided better facilities while standing at the roads to prevent themselves from the extensive weather conditions and pollution.

3. Renovation and the construction of the sectors is a dire need as it will provide them more comfort and improve the efficiency of the work.

4. While standing on the point of duties, lady traffic wardens should be given proper security by the department to prevent them from the harassment of public.

5. Discrimination from the seniors should be reduced as they are not fully satisfied with the behavior of higher authority.

6. The official work should switch to digital system i.e. computerized system from the manual system, it will make official working more efficient.

7. To increase the authority, lady traffic wardens should be provided with weapons to defend themselves and public in any mishap but with the proper training of how to use the weapons.

Email:fraz.ahmed@hotmail.com

Chief Justice approached for taking note of PCB irregularities

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

The Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhary, has been approached for taking suo motto action against the former officials of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) having been found guilty of massive financial irregularities by the Auditor General of Pakistan.

Razaullah Khan, the longest serving council member of the PCB, who has been known and feared for calling a spade a spade, has once more taken the initiative of bringing to book the people having been engaged in malpractices of the highest order.

“Yes I have submitted a request to the Chief Justice for taking a suo motto action against Dr Nasim Ashraf, Shafqat Naghmi and others who have been found involved in the embezzlement of funds to the tune of Rupees seven billion,” Razaullah Khan remarked in an interview recently.

“Alongwith my application to the Chief Justice I have submitted a copy of the report of the Auditor General of Pakistan that details the corrupt practices of the PCB officials. I have also brought the matter to the notice of Chaudhary Nisar Ali, Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly and Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, by sending him a copy of the same report,” he added.

Razaullah Khan, who has been associated with the game of cricket in various capacities for nearly half a century now, did not mince words in stating that he has had to approach the Chief Justice after having failed to get any response from the government agencies.

“I have communicated to the Chief Justice that I have approached him after having knocked at the various doors without any response. The people in the government have their own reasons of not initiating action against the former PCB officials even though the report of the Auditor General of Pakistan has found them guilty,” Razaullah Khan said.

“The Auditor General of Pakistan has compiled the report after they had been assigned the task by the President of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari, who is also the Patron of the Pakistan Cricket Board,” the former PCB Council member revealed.

“Now when the report has come out and it has been very clearly pointed out that the former officials of the PCB were guilty of financial embezzlement there is no reason why they should not taken to task. I have appealed to the Chief Justice to take suo motto action and register a case against them,” Razaullah Khan stated.
“Exemplary punishment must be given to the PCB officials for having misused the public money and having derived huge personal benefits besides having obliged their near and dear ones,” he pleaded.

“It was a common belief that Dr Nasim Ashraf and Shafqat Naghmi were running the affairs of the PCB at their whims. The recent report by the Auditor General of Pakistan has only confirmed that they have deprived the nation of billions of rupees,” Razaullah Khan believed.

He didn’t expect the present officials of the PCB to move against their predecessors because in his opinion there still were quite a few employees in the Board having sympathy with their former masters.