Karachi -- 22 January 2002
The Central Coordination Committee of Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) has warned of the unrest caused as a result of the conspiracy of excluding the locals of Sindh province from being recruited in the police force, which might result in strong public reaction. MQM Deputy Convenor Aftab Ahmed Sheikh addressed the press conference at the Karachi Press Club, which was also attended by MQM Deputy Convenor Mrs Nasreen Jalil and Members of Coordination Committee Kanwar Khalid Younus, Khalid Bin Waleed and Mohammad Adil Siddiqui.
Replying to a question Mr Aftab Ahmed Sheikh stated the agents of the Establishment are behind the illogical rules and requirements imposed in the police department. He referred to various advertisement appearing in the newspapers, seeking applications for recruitment of 1300 constables in the police department from Karachi, Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas, Thatta, Badin, Naushero Feroze, Nawabshah, Sukkur, Khairpur, Shikarpur, Ghotki, Jacobabad and Larkana. Former Inspector General Police (IGP) Mohib Asad issued standing order and recruitment rules through letter Ref. #9649-9747/E-V/30-4-1997, which are effective till 30 April 2002. According to recruitment rules, for recruitment in the police department the height of male should be 5 feet 5 inches and for female it should be 5 feet 4 inches. For physical fitness test, the applicant must be able to run a mile in 8 minutes and be able to do 25 sit-ups. Mr Sheikh said that if recruitment is made according to these rules then locals of Sindh province could easily join the police force. However, the imported IGP Sindh Kamal Shah has issued the SRO, which has restricted the height to 5 feet 7 inches, run a mile in 7 minutes 30 seconds and 39 variable sit-ups. He said that in Islamabad, the height limit for recruiting an inspector in the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) is 5 feet 6 inches, whereas in Sindh the height limit for constable has been set at 5 feet 7 inches. The application form asks whether the applicant has ever been detained, under arrest, challaned or convicted. He said that convicted persons have no right to be recruited in police; however, closing the doors of recruitment to those who have only been detained or remained under arrest is highly prejudiced. In the past, the Bengalis were not recruited in the police force and the army because of their short heights. Now the same is being applied on the permanent residents of Sindh province to keep them away from being recruited in the police department. This is being done with a view to take control of the police department so as to make Sindh a colony of the Establishment.
Mr Sheikh said that in the District Central out of 674 vacancies, 225 positions have been left vacant so as to occupy them through backdoor policy. How would the law and order situation improve when non-locals would be unjustly recruited in the police force and they would be shooting the locals? If locals were to be recruited in the police department then they would be in a much better position to understand the psyche of the citizens, respect them and treat them humanely. Replying to a question Kanwar Khalid Younus said that in 1950, ninety percent locals were recruited in the police department and today the situation has totally reversed.
Mr Sheikh said that the imported IGP, upon instructions from higher-ups, is conspiring to place an imported police force in Sindh province, so as to crush the just demands for rights of the permanent citizens of Sindh province including their fundamental rights, due share water, developmental funds, NFC Award and other rights.
Mr Sheikh demanded of the Government to take notice of the conspiracy, the illogical restrictions and rules being practiced in the police recruitments, the SRO of former IGP Mohib Asad must be made the criteria for recruitment in the police department and all such conspiracies of backdoor recruiting of non-locals in the police force must be checked and stopped forthwith