KARACHI – The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Thursday directed the Karachi Police Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Investigation to appear in person in the next hearing and submit a detailed report on targeted killings in the metropolis.
The SHC division bench comprising Chief Justice Mushir Alam and Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi issued the order while hearing a constitutional petition filed by Syed Mohammad Iqbal Kazmi seeking to curb targeted killing incidents in Karachi.
Counselling on behalf of the state, Additional Advocate General Sarwar Khan appeared before the bench and admitted that target killings and terrorism are the main burning issues in the country, however, the government has been trying its level best to control such incidents in Karachi and other parts of the country.
Expressing dissatisfaction over his explanation, the SHC chief justice said that the government could not run away from its responsibility of ensuring security and protection for all citizens.
However, the state counsel could not respond to Alam’s query that how many cases were put into the ‘A’ class, saying he did not have the knowledge in this regard and requested the court to grant him further time to obtain information from the city police’s DIG investigation as he would have its complete details.
After hearing his arguments, the court issued a notice to the DIG Investigation and ordered that he should appear in person before the court along with the entire record in the next hearing date to be fixed later.
Earlier, Kazmi had stated before the court that except Pakistan Rangers (Sindh) director general, none of the respondents had appeared before the bench to submit their comments.
The petitioner had submitted that reportedly a total of 270 people including innocent citizens were killed during the last three months due to poor law and order situation in the city.
Mentioning the Capital City Police Officer’s statement published in newspapers, the plaintiff stated that 1,083 people were killed in 2009 and 1,482 in 2010 in Karachi alone as the government failed to provide protection to the citizens.
Besides, a particular political party was banned from continuing its activities and a major part of the city declared as ‘no-go areas’ for its activists, on the wish of one of the ruling parties, the petitioner pointed out.
The applicant cited Federal Interior Secretary, Sindh Chief Secretary, Pakistan Rangers (Sindh) Director General, Sindh Inspector General of Police, Karachi CCPO and Shah Faisal police station (PS), Shah Faisal Colony PS, Awami Colony PS, Khokrapar PS, Landhi PS, Orangi PS, Bilal Colony PS, Model Colony PS, Malir City PS, Saudabad PS, Nazimabad PS, Liaquatabad PS, Gulbarg PS, Aziz Bhatti PS, Al-Falah PS, Mominabad PS, New Karachi PS, Taimuria PS, Korangi PS, Jamshed Quarter PS, Gulistan-e-Jauhar PS, Sachal PS and Sharifabad PS investigation heads as the targeted killings were reported within their police station jurisdictions.
Pleading that the authorities concerned be issued orders to produce the entire records of the targeted killings and directives should be issued for the arrest of the culprits involved, Kazmi also prayed that protection should be ensured for the citizens, the ‘no-go areas’ for the particular party abolished and an operation conducted in the city for recovering illegal weapons.
