KARACHI: The Pakistan Rangers, Sindh, on Saturday launched a software application for the security of educational institutes, with 15 places selected in the city where the immediate response system would initially work.

Speaking at a press conference at the Rangers headquarters, Colonel Qaiser Khan Khattak said that around 3,000 of the 15,000 educational institutes in Karachi had been registered for security purpose so far.

He added that the registered institutes would be provided a particular code, enabling them to send a text message to the security system and mobile phones of Rangers officials up to the rank of commanders.

Flanked by Karachi police chief Mushtaq Ahmed Mahar and adviser to the chief minister on information Maula Bux Chandio, the colonel said this system would be linked with the respective police station and Rangers checkpoint in the area.

On the basis of the system, the metropolis has been divided into 60 places with each company of the Rangers being responsible for security in their respective areas, according to the Rangers officer.

The colonel said the system would later be introduced for the security of shopping centres, recreational spots, hospitals and vital installations.

Adviser to the chief minister on information Maula Bux Chandiosaid the apex committee had decided to implement this system under the National Action Plan.

This was the first security system for educational institutes in the country, which was being introduced for Karachi, he added.

Responding to a question about the death of senior Muttahida Qaumi Movement worker Aftab Ahmed in the Rangers custody, the adviser on information said that an inquiry was being conducted to ascertain the circumstances which led to his death.

Meanwhile, Khalid Shah, head of Private Schools Management Association, told Dawn that it was a praiseworthy step of the paramilitary force though the police efforts to run a similar alert system did not yield positive results owing to host of reasons.He said he had asked all private schools to get themselves registered with the police alert system.

In reply to a question, Mr Shah said he had not received information from private schools that they had been linked or registered with the Rangers` security system. He hinted that the paramilitary force initially might have registered government educational institutes.

In walce of cracker attacks on schools, particularly those in Gulshan-i-Iqbal, several meetings were held with officials, he recalled. However, he said, the SOPs (standard operating procedures) proposed for schools security by the police were unrealistic.

For instance, they had proposed that each private school shouldhire and deploy at least four private guards but it was not possible for the school administrations which charged nominal tuition fee.

He said the schools management had proposed to the authorities that police patrolling be increased during school times.He recalled that the police, too, initially tried to introduce the security system with the help of a cellphone company but it was not possible for schools management to fulfil all their requirements. He said the police had demanded phone numbers of teachers andgiven the fact that most of teachers were female, the school authorities did not deem it advisable to give female teachers cell phone numbers to the police. He was of the opinion that it was this reason that the police security system did not materialise.