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Friday, November 01, 2013
Karachi can be saved only if drugs, arms smuggling is reined in: SC
* Court seeks details of arms import via seaports from Customs
* Rejects report on smuggling of arms and drugs presented by AG
KARACHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday observed that Karachi can be saved only if the drugs and arms’ menace that plagues the city is reined in.
While hearing the Karachi law and order case on Thursday a three-member bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry sought a detailed report by today (Friday) from Customs officials about import of arms through sea ports during the last three years. The bench remarked that extraordinary steps and measures are required to maintain peace in the city and that all government functionaries are responsible for it.
It observed that the “black money” from narcotics and smuggling of different items has a major role in disturbance of peace in the city and is affecting economic activities in the commercial hub of the country. The court ordered indiscriminate action against the elements involved in disturbing peace in the city. It observed that during raids police and Rangers have recovered a huge quantity of illegal weapons from the city, and noted that back-up support from federal institutions like Customs, Anti-Narcotics Force, Coast Guards and Federal Board of Revenue is required for bringing further improvement in the situation.
The court also took notice of smuggling of petrol and diesel into Karachi and observed that it is also a big source of “black money” and ordered all the organisations concerned of the federal government to chalk out a joint strategy to control it and purge the city of illegal weapons. Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry remarked during the hearing that the Anti Narcotics Force (ANF) chief, who is an army general, fears mentioning the name of Yusuf Goth. He said a report was presented on Wednesday by the Customs Intelligence Agency and ANF but the names of Yusuf Goth, Sohrab Goth and other places were not mentioned in it. “Anyone who does not work should be removed from his post,” the chief justice said.
Meanwhile, Attorney General Munir A Malik presented a report on arms and drugs smuggling in the court on Thursday but it rejected it, expressing dissatisfaction over it. The court also expressed annoyance over the drug and arms smuggling report worked out jointly by Maritime Security Agency, Coast Guards and Anti-Narcotics Force. The chief justice reprimanded the authorities and said that the report does not include details of steps implemented by the institutions concerned to stop the heinous crimes, rather it has only explicated the legal clauses.
Justice Iftikhar asked the ANF director general to “give a clean chit that Karachi is a drug-free city”. Meanwhile, Justice Jawwad S Khawaja, another member of the bench, noted that “Karachi can be saved only if drugs and arms’ menace is reined in, otherwise Karachi will say goodbye to us”. Issuing an interim order the court sought details of weapons coming to the Karachi Port and other dry ports of the country by today. agencies
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk
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