1,200 cops to provide security cover to hide collectors, their vehicles

KARACHI: The City administration, following an elaborate discussion with rangers and police authorities have decided to deploy 1,200 cops on security duty of hides collectors and their respective vehicles during three days of Eid-ul-Azha.

In a meeting chaired by Commissioner Karachi, Shoaib Ahmad Siddiqui it was also decided that foolproof arrangements would be made for optimum compliance of code of conduct for hide collectors so as to avert instances of hooliganism and snatching.

It was agreed that the cops would also provide security cover to the vehicles of hides' collection teams, comprising charitable organisations as well as religious schools, from collection point to storage points.

The meeting was informed by concerned authorities that there were around 1,000 storage points in the city where the collected hides are kept by collectors while no less 300 places are known to perform collective sacrifice of animals as a religious responsibility.

It was decided that all hide collectors would be required to collect passes from the Office of Commissioner Karachi prior to Eid-ul-Azha, and this only would authorise them to participate in the exercise.

Issuance of passes to each of the hides' collection team would be based on permission letters issued to them by the Deputy Commissioner's Office or District Coordinator's officer pertaining to their respective areas of exercise.

The Commissioner on the occasion urged the representatives of charitable organisations and religious schools to ensure strict compliance to code of conduct issued for hide collectors.

"We as Muslim also need to be cognizant of our religious obligation that demands mutual respect and tolerance," said the Commissioner of Karachi.

The meeting was attended by representatives of Khidmat-e-Khalq Foundation (KKF) comprising Dr Arshad Vohra, Azhar Rashid, Khawaja Izhar-ul-Hasan and Mohammad Moin.

Qari Mohammad Iqbal and Mohammad Iftikhar represented Jamia Binoria, Manzar Alam and Nasrullah Shajeeh were representatives of Al-Khidmat while Dawat-e-Islami was represented by Mohammad Yaqub Attari and Yahya Attari.

Shaukat Khanum Hospital was represented by Muddasar Habib, Pasban by Shams Naz, Edhi Foundation by Mohammad Ismail Wali and Alkhair Trust by Mohammad Tahir Ansari.

The meeting among others was also attended by Additional Commissioner, Karachi (I), Aslam Khoso, Additional Commissioner, Karachi (II) Haji Ahmad, Deputy Commissioners from all five districts of Karachi and senior police as well as rangers' officials.