KARACHI – The Sindh High Court on Friday issued notices to the advocate general (AG) and the chief secretary (CS), seeking explanation on a constitutional petition regarding targeted killings in Karachi.
A division bench, comprising Chief Justice Mushir Alam and Justice Syed Azhar Rizvi, were hearing a petition filed by Rana Faizul Hassan who said that the government had failed to provide security to the citizens and violated Article No 9 of the Constitution of Pakistan. Hassan said that a number of innocent people have fallen victim to targeted killings, whereas the law enforcers are unable to take any action against the culprits involved.
He pleaded sacking Interior Minister Rehman Malik for failing to curb targeted killings in the metropolis. He said that lawlessness was reigning supreme in Punjab, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as well, whereas drone attacks by foreign troops in Pakistani territory are worsening the law and order situation.
The petitioner said that according to Article No 9, the state is fully responsible for protecting the lives and independence of the people, but the government had failed to do so while allowing foreign troops to carry out drone attacks in the tribal areas of the country.
He said that the people of Waziristan and other tribal areas have been protesting these attacks that have killed thousands of innocent citizens, but no concrete steps have been taken in this regard by the government thus far. Quoting some news reports, the plaintiff said that around 2,400 people have been killed by US troops in the tribal areas.
He said that the drone attacks were increasing, and the interior minister had confirmed in his earlier statement that the government was unable to stop these attacks in the Pakistani territory. He added that the people of Sindh have been suffering due to lawlessness, targeted killings and kidnappings for ransom since they have been receiving threats from extortionists (bhatta mafia) and other miscreants, compelling the business community to shift their businesses elsewhere.
He also said that 180 citizens had been killed in the city in one month alone, whereas innocent people were being killed in targeted killings on daily basis, exposing the failure of the government. The settlers in Balochistan, particularly people belonging to the Punjab, are being killed in the troubled province, whereas government installations are being hit by miscreants, he added.
He further said that 10 people were gunned down on August 10 last year after seeing their National Identity Cards. The same lawless situation prevails in Punjab, where a number of innocent people have been killed in suicide attacks across the province, whereas the government is unable to take any action against the elements involved in these incidents.
The interior minister, the interior secretary, the ministry of law and justice, the defence ministry, the provincial secretaries of Sindh, Punjab, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were cited as respondents. The petitioner pleaded that the government should be ordered to summon the US ambassador to Pakistan and ask him to stop the drone attacks in Pakistani territory.
He prayed that the government should be instructed to sack the current interior minister immediately, and assign an honest person in his place. He also pleaded to end targeted killings in Karachi and Quetta. Directing the petitioner to move the Supreme Court for drone attacks, law and order situation in other provinces and sacking the interior minister, the court adjourned the hearing.
