Sindh plans to track habitual criminals
Wearable electronic tracking device likely to be in the shape of a bracelet
The draft law says that a habitual criminal could face imprisonment of up to three years if he failed to comply with the court’s directive to wear the device.
The Sindh cabinet has okayed the plan to attach an electronic device to track the movement of the habitual criminals especially those involved in street crimes in urban areas of the province.
The session of the cabinet with Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah in the chair approved the draft of the Sindh Habitual Offenders Monitoring Bill-2022. After approval from the cabinet, the Sindh Assembly will adopt the bill to formalise the proposal by giving it the shape of a law.
The proposal is mainly aimed at ensuring the protection of the residents of the urban areas of the province where habitual offenders frequently commit street crimes and deprive people of their cell phones, cash, and other valuables.
The tracking device is likely in the shape of a bracelet to be worn by the repeat offender on his arm or ankle. It will comprise a global positioning system, cellular phone technology, and a central processing unit to ensure round-the-clock monitoring of the criminals on a realtime basis.
The court will order attaching the monitoring device to a habitual offender after receiving such an application from the prosecution or the relevant police official. The device would remain attached to the repeat offender till the time he remained free on bail.
Offenders face jail term
The draft law says that a habitual criminal could face imprisonment of up to three years if he failed to comply with the court’s directive to wear the device.
The repeat offender could face a jail term of up to three years or a fine up to Rs11 million in case of tampering with the device.
The cabinet meeting discussed the draft law for 40 minutes and accorded approval to it through a majority vote. Some of the cabinet members were of the view that the bill violated the fundamental human rights of the criminals.
Sindh Information Minister said the bill was mainly aimed at preventing the instances of street crimes.