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Friday, September 20, 2013
Arms flowing into Karachi from India, Israel, US: SC* CJP says witnesses in high-profile cases are killed and no culprit is arrested
* Government’s intention regarding implementing court decisions not clear
ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has remarked that arms are coming into Karachi from India, Israel, NATO, US and Russia.
“The arms which flow from south into Karachi come from India and Israel and the arms which flow from north into Karachi come from NATO, US and Russia. If we make determination then not a single bullet will come in the country through illegal way. Rocket launchers and anti-aircraft gun were also recovered from the city. If we have to save the country then we can take steps by imposing a curfew.”
The chief justice asked, “Where are the killers of police officers who participated in Karachi operation in the decade of 90? Police officers who took part in Karachi operation during 1992 and 1996 were culled and murdered. Where are their assassins? Had the killers of police personnel been arrested, police morale would have been higher today. Policemen are still rendering sacrifices of their lives. No one is above law.”
Justice Iftikhar noted that it is said that the courts do not give decisions, but the problem is that no protection is provided to the witnesses. “Dare to arrest the killers of witnesses of Wali Babar’s murder for the sake of protection of witnesses. Wali Babar murder case should not be put into cold storage.” The chief justice said the murder of witnesses is impossible without collusion between police and influential persons.
Justice Iftikhar was presiding over a five-member bench of the Supreme Court hearing the Karachi violence case. The other members of the bench are Justice Jawwad S Khawaja, Justice Khilji Arif Hussain, Justice Amir Hani Muslim and Justice Azmat Saeed. Customs Chief Collector Muhammad Yahya filed an investigation report in the court and said that arms do not flow into Karachi from the port, rather they are smuggled from northern areas, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
The chief justice observed that as per our information arms come into Karachi from India and Israel from south, while from north they come from NATO, US and Russia. These arms, he said, are smuggled through boats. The federal government, Sindh chief secretary and police presented a report on Karachi situation in the court. It said that the ISI and MI have declared the ongoing targeted operation in Karachi effective and proposed that it be continued.
The Sindh government also filed a report in the court with respect to the steps taken for maintaining law and order situation in Karachi and it stated that the targeted operation is continuing in the city under the command of Rangers, but the provincial government is patronising it. It said that control of one police station each in five districts of Karachi has been given to the Rangers. As per the report, 1,357 persons suspected of involvement in target killings, extortion and other crimes were arrested between September 5 to 16 in Karachi.
The report said that there was lack of coordination between customs officials and officers of the law enforcement agencies on the matter of arms smuggling. Both of them have been directed in a high-level meeting to increase their mutual contacts. The Sindh chief secretary told the court that an effective operation was continuing in Karachi in line with the decisions of the federal cabinet, and the Sindh chief minister is monitoring it. More than a thousand CCTV cameras have been installed in the city and 910 more will be installed. Sindh advocate general told the court that the provincial government is fully implementing the Supreme Court’s decision.
To a question by Justice Khilji Arif whether anyone could be identified through a CCTV camera, the advocate general said if the cameras were installed too low for a clearer view they could either get broken or stolen. He further said that that the Rangers had nabbed several suspects during the targeted operation and recovered arms. However, the chief justice noted it was not clear whether the government wanted to implement the court’s decisions. The hearing of the case will resume today (Friday).staff report/agencies
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk