News
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Government machinery has ‘collapsed’ in Karachi: SC
* Court rejects Centre, Sindh reports regarding worsening law and order situation in Karachi, seeks comprehensive report after consultation with intelligence agencies
* Court decides to hear case in Karachi registry on August 29
By Hasnaat Malik
ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice (CJ) Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, heading a five-member bench, on Friday, observed that for the last one month situation in Karachi had been out of control and there was a complete breakdown of the government’s machinery.
The CJ, while rejecting the federal and Sindh governments’ report regarding worsening law and order situation in Karachi, again sought comprehensive report from them on the subject after consultations with intelligence agencies.
The apex court observed that it seemed that there was lack of coordination among intelligence agencies regarding sharing of information over law and order situation in Karachi.
The court also decided to hear the suo motu case in SC’s Karachi registry on August 29.
“People are being abducted for ransom; beheaded dead bodies of innocents with tied arms and legs, wrapped in sacks, are being recovered in large numbers daily and street crime is rampant,” the CJ observed.
He said that target killings took place in other provinces as well, but for the last one month Karachi’s situation had worsened, adding, “It’s high time that someone should take responsibility of Karachi’s mayhem.”
The CJ said three main political parties of Sindh had approached the apex court in this case.
He said there was no question of Eid holidays, and the judges were ready to sit even on Saturday to hear this case. He told the AG, “We have to work day and night to restore peace in Karachi.”
Sindh Advocate General (AG) Fateh Mohammad was directed to submit copies of daily situation reports (DSR) from July 24 to August 23 and the briefs of FIRs.
The IG was directed to proceed against the target killers across the board, irrespective of their party affiliations, and also provide detail of police stations and the crimes that take place in their jurisdiction and the manner people were being killed there.
The IG was also directed to file details of injured persons, loss of properties and whether people had been arrested and responsibilities had been fixed.
During the course of proceedings, Sindh government submitted a detailed report on the incidents of target killings, which have been taking place in Karachi for the last more than one month.
According to the report, 300 people were murdered in incidents of target killings, as 232 cases were registered.
The report stated that 117 target killers had been arrested and the challans of 179 accused were submitted in the court. Justice Ghulam Rabbani said, “Everyone knows who are behind target killings in Karachi.”
Sindh AG contended that judiciary could not resolve the issue of Karachi, as one target killer, who was involved in 100 cases of murder, had been acquitted by the court.
Upon this, the CJ remarked that the court could not award punishment without evidences, and it was failure of the investigating agencies, which could not submit proofs to the courts.
The CJ asked him as to why the court failed in the enforcement of Article 9 of the constitution.“ We have taken suo motu notice according to the constitution and the demand of 180 million people,” he added.
The CJ asked Babar Awan as to why he was appearing on behalf of the federation in the presence of AG.
Babar told the CJ that it was federation’s prerogative to hire a private counsel.
Hafeez Pirzada, the counsel of Sindh government, submitted that no government could resolve Karachi issue in one day, adding these were the mistakes of the last 64 years.
He ruled out the calling of Pakistan Army for controlling situation in Karachi, as it was a political issue.
He suggested to the bench to hear the case in Karachi after Eid.
However, he retracted from his statement later, saying security arrangements would not be better in Karachi and there were Eid holidays ahead. “There is no significance of Eid holidays in this sensitive matter,” he said, adding, “If needed we will hear the case on Eid day and even we will hear the case day and night, we are not afraid, we cannot linger on the case on the basis of less security arrangements.
“If needed we will hear the case on Eid day.
Later the court, while adjourning the case till August 29 (Monday) decided to shift the bench in Karachi for the next hearing. The court stopped chief secretary and inspector general of Sindh police from appearing before the court.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk