People fear death if extortion money not paid: SC - The News International

Expresses dissatisfaction over performance of govt functionaries including police; asks IG to resign if he fears visiting city without police escort

 

KARACHI: Expressing dissatisfaction with the performance of the police and other government functionaries to deal with the target killings and lawlessness in the largest city of the country, the Supreme Court on Tuesday observed that the government functionaries did not comply with its suo moto judgment on the Karachi situation though 13 months had passed.

 

As a five-member bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali, heard the Karachi law and order situation suo moto judgment implementation case, Justice Amir Hani Muslim observed that people feared being killed merely for not paying extortion money on sacrificial animals and despite undertaking before the Supreme Court, no action was taken against police officers in whose jurisdiction crime was committed.

 

The court observed that a sense of insecurity was prevailing everywhere and people avoided travelling to the troubled areas of the city even in daylight, fearing for their life. Justice Khilji Arif Hussain observed that police should realise the miseries of a family whose sole bread earner is killed without any reason.

 

Justice Gulzar Ahmed observed that police officers, including the inspector general (IG) of the provincial police, do not move without police escort and if they require such protection then every citizen be given similar protection. He asked the IG Sindh to visit the city without any police escort and if he fears doing so, then he should resign from his post.

 

The court issued notices to the chief secretary, Rangers director general, Board of Revenue senior member, Election Commission of Pakistan and others to appear before the court and submit their compliance reports.

 

The court observed that blockade of road near Bilawal House, disallowing public from using footpath near Rangers and Coast Guards headquarters also amount to the existence of no-go area and depriving people of their right to free movement.

 

The Supreme Court had issued a detailed judgment in the Karachi law and order case on October 6 last year directing the police and other government functionaries to take measures for eliminating no-go areas, encroachments and land grabbing, illegal arms trade besides speedy trial of culprits involved in killing of citizens and police officials who had taken part in operation in the city during 1990s.

 

The court noticed the failure of police and other government functionaries in controlling the law and order, target killing, land grabbing and removal of no-go areas in the city. It observed that target killings have increased but no sincere effort is being made to curb the crime although protecting the life and property of citizens is the prime duty of the state.

 

"Mostly killings in the city have been done due to political motives. It is all political game," Justice Sarmad Jalal Osmany observed.

 

Sindh Advocate General Abdul Fatah Malik filed reports on behalf of the Sindh government on compliance with the court judgment. He claimed that no-go areas have been removed in the city while a large number of foreigners have settled in the city. The court observed that taking action against such elements is also responsibility of the government.

 

The court expressed dissatisfaction with the report observing that no-go areas still exist in the city on the basis of political and ethnic divisions in several parts of the city.

 

Criticising the police for blocking roads in name of security for high-ups, Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali observed that "elite club" culture is being created by the police in the name of security for high-ups and the police usually block roads during VIP movement without realising the miseries of common citizens.

 

Justice Sarmad Jalal Osmany also took notice of road blockade near Bilawal House and observed that why public road was encroached upon in the name of security and wall has been raised on the main road. "Nobody can allow encroaching public roads. If the same is necessary, let the president of Pakistan purchase the road," he observed.

 

The court observed that people are barred from using several public roads and footpaths near Rangers and Coast Guards headquarters and Sindh Assembly building due to security reason, which also amounts to the existence of no-go areas. The court expressed annoyance over the blockade of road at the Supreme Court Karachi registry and directed the IG Sindh to open the road for public.

 

Regarding the court directive to purge the city of illegal weapons, the advocate general submitted that police have taken action against criminals and recovered over 8,000 illegal weapons from their possession. He submitted that a fresh law has been proposed for harsher punishment and declaring the possession of illegal weapon as non-bailable offence.

 

The court observed that such proposal is mere eyewash until the assembly passes it into law. It added that whenever the government wants it makes legislation within half an hour.

 

Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali observed that government has to take decision in public interest across the board leaving the political interests aside. "It is not possible to satisfy every stakeholder. Government has to take decisions in larger interest of the public," he observed, adding that the system somewhat and somewhere is on the verge of collapse and "we have to overcome it."

 

The judge observed that 100 of arms licences are issued to MNAs and MPAs without any verification mere for maintaining the vote bank in the constituency. He said that only such a country could survive where state institutions are strong and independent.

 

The court was informed that a commission has been constituted by the Sindh government for giving compensation to the victims of target killing and 476 families were recommended for payment of compensation.

 

The court issued notice to the provincial chief secretary, Rangers director general, Board of Revenue senior member, Election Commission of Pakistan and National Database and Registration Authority representatives and others and adjourned the hearing till today (Wednesday).