News
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Govt machinery should be used to control Karachi situation: SC
* CJP asks Sindh IGP to take action for deweaponisation of Karachi
* Sindh government counsel says ethnic and criminal groups are involved in violence
KARACHI: Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry said on Tuesday that it was the wish of the judiciary that the government machinery should be used to control law and order in Karachi.
A five-member bench of the Supreme Court, comprising the chief justice, Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali, Justice Sarmad Jalal Usmani, Justice Amer Hani Muslim and Justice Ghulam Rabbani was hearing a suo motu case regarding law and order situation in Karachi.
The bench expressed ‘dissatisfaction’ over the investigation reports submitted by the Sindh government in the case.
The court sought a progress report from the inspector general (IG) of Sindh Police about the investigation of targeted killings, kidnappings and cases of extortion.
The chief justice asked the IG that why no action was taken in the city even after the killings of 306 people. He said that the IG should also tell the court that how many torture cells were working in Karachi, directing the police to record the statements of the recovered kidnapped people and provide them protection.
On the previous hearing, the chief justice had directed the attorney general of Pakistan that the reports of intelligence agencies regarding law and order situation in Karachi should be made part of the record.
The chief justice observed that the law and order situation could not be controlled until deweaponisation of the city.
The chief justice said that the provincial chief minister was duty-bound to protect the lives of the people.
He said that the court was taking the suo motu notice over the violation of fundamental rights of citizens.
Senior lawyer Hafeez Pirzada, counsel for the Sindh government, apprised the court that gangsters were involved in land grabbing and extortion causing lawlessness in certain parts of the city.
He further stated that ethnic and criminal groups were also involved in deteriorating peace in the city and added that the provincial government had taken appropriate measures to improve the situation.
Pirzada said that 2.5 million foreigners hailed from Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Burma were living in Karachi illegally. They have unregistered arms with them in large quantity, he said, claiming that they even elected a Burmese immigrant as a councillor.
In response to his comments, the chief justice asked Hafeez Pirzada to assist the court in this regard.
IGP Wajid Ali Durrani informed the court about the law and order situation and details about the actions taken by the police against the criminal elements so far. The bench adjourned the hearing till September 5.
The lawyer of federation, Dr Babar Awan, requested the court to postpone the hearing till Eid as the ANP lawyer Iftikhar Gilani had gone to celebrate Eid. The chief justice said that Karachi was his city and they were ready to hold hearing even on Eid day for the restoration of peace.
On the occasion, Justice Anwar Jamali said that common man was thinking that he was deprived of the basic rights and if rights would not be given to the people, then Supreme Court would intervene. agencies
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk