KARACHI: The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Thursday expressed dissatisfaction over the report presented by the IG Police and Sindh Secretary while holding the federal and provincial governments responsible for the killings of innocent people in Karachi.
A five-member larger bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and comprising Justice Jawad S. Khwaja, Justice Gulzar Ahmed, Justice Athar Saeed and Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed were hearing the case hearing the Karachi law and order implementation case at the Karachi Registry of the apex court.
The apex court on Wednesday had summoned the Attorney General to inform the bench about federation’s stance.
During today’s hearing, Sindh Chief Secretary and IG Sindh submitted details about letters written to federation and chief minister to put an end to unrest in Karachi.
In his remark, the Chief Justice said that if the court accepts the report, then there should be no more killings in the city from today. He further said that bloodshed continued unabated for two years even after the court’s order, and held the federal and provincial governments responsible for the killing of the innocent persons.
The Chief Justice said that the Chief Secretary did not write even a single letter to the federation regarding the law and order situation in Karachi. He said that drugs and ammunition are being smuggled across the country through Karachi Port, and inquired if any other port existed in the country.
While addressing the Chief Secretary, the Chief Justice said that he did not write to the federation about preventing arms and weapons to enter through the Karachi Port. He said that 60-70 percent revenue is generated from this city and it feeds the entire country.
Expressing dissatisfaction over the report, Justice Iftikhar remarked that they are admitting that no-go areas existed in Karachi. He said that had they been prevented in the beginning, the situation would have been much better today.
He, then, criticized the press conferences and remarked that the parties have started politics as soon as the SC bench arrived in the city to hear the case.
While having an argument with the advocate general, he said that if anyone is interested in earning the credit, then one should fulfill one’s duties first. He, then, asked the advocate general about Citizens-Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) and inquired about its head and trainers.
The advocate general apprised the bench that CPLC is an effective institution to solve kidnapping for ransom cases. He further told that Ahmed Chinoy is the head of CPLC while it woks under Governor Sindh.
Responding to this, the Chief Justice said it meant that police department is not capable to undertake this job.
Attorney General Munir A Malik said that advocate general should write to the federation about the issues faced by Sindh. An important session of the Federal Cabinet has been summoned to discuss the Karachi unrest next week.
During the hearing, advocate general also told that the federation has not yet issued the NOC to import bulletproof armored vehicles for the past five months.
Meanwhile, the bench was occupied with the hearing, the residents of restive Lyari protested outside the Karachi Registry. The protesters also included children and women from the said area.
The demonstrators were carrying placards and demanded to take steps to restore peace in the troubled vicinity.
Earlier on Wednesday, Justice Iftikhar said that the police and Rangers had failed to ensure the law and order situation in Karachi and the government’s writ in the port city had been reduced to zero.
The apex court’s bench observed that the court wanted to know what correspondence had been made between the Sindh chief secretary and the federal and provincial governments over the Karachi law and order situation.
