The whole nation has gone into a shock after seeing our law enforcing personnel killing a youth in cold blood in Boat Basin, Karachi on Wednesday, 8th June.
Brutality and cruelty are perhaps milder words to be used to describe this incident where half a dozen Sindh Rangers got hold of a teenager and after thrashing him with kicks and fists shot him in the abdomen and legs. He was begging for his life and was requesting to be taken to the hospital. But the heartless men in uniform did not move him and he bled to death. On this incident I think even Hulagu Khan or Genghis Khan must be turning in their graves.
While we were still thinking of Khrotabad, Quetta incident where our men in uniform killed 5 unarmed Chechens including 3 women one of which was 7 months pregnant, we watched yet another incident in Karachi. The Prime Minister only condemned the incident and promised that justice would be provided after due enquiry.
The home minister as usual tried to defend the Rangers by saying that the youth tried to snatch the rifle from the ranger. He should be ashamed of making such a statement without going into the details.
Such incidents will keep happening unless we take strict action against the perpetrators of such naked barbarism. We must award capital punishment to such savages who are involved in brazen extra-judicial killings. Justice demands that people involved in Kharotabad and Boat Basin incidents should be brought to justice.
This punishment would no doubt stop all future trigger happy soldiers not to commit such extra-judicial killings. The wing commanders of such miscreants who apparently have failed to inculcate discipline in the troops under their command must also be sacked. The nation is in great shock and would come out of it only if the justice is speedily dispensed in both the cases. The long drawn enquiries and commissions bring out nothing but absolving every one from the crime.
MUHAMMAD AZHAR KHWAJA
Lahore
(II)
The killing of Sarfaraz is an act which is not just condemnable but also requires the attention and action from our ruling elite. If we don’t stand up for these issues and injustices today, then one day we might have to see the same things happening with our brothers or sisters.
These incidents do not matter a lot to the powers that be until and unless these incidents affect their luxurious lifestyles and it seems at times as if power outages and target killings are just meant for the ordinary citizens of this country. We have shown tolerance towards these incidents in the past but that’s not the case now and we can’t afford to bury our innocent youngsters anymore.
The killing of Sarfaraz Shah has once again taught us a lesson to not to trust our law-enforcement agencies as they have sold the national pride and it seems as if they work on the agenda of our enemy.
It seems as if a man’s life is worth a few cents in front of our politicians. What was his fault? Why was he murdered? These are some of the questions arising in everyone’s mind. The media has played a positive role by pressurising the government to take the culprits to task. I appreciate the efforts of the media and would appreciate it more if it continues to keep the issue on air until the culprits are severely punished.
HAIDER ALI
Lahore
(II)
I was terribly shocked to see the local TV footage showing a young unarmed boy begging for his life for his life from the Sindh Rangers cops. But the cruel Rangers brutally killed the boy which shows their gruesome and horrible attitude towards the common man. I strongly condemn this gruesome murder of a young boy and plead exemplary punishment for the responsible cops. I also request to the Chief Minister Sindh to announce urgent financial aid to the bereaved family.
HIRA SALEEM
Hyderabad
(IV)
It is very shameful for us to be a part of the country, where people who are assigned to provide security to the common man, are killing them.
On 8th June an innocent man was killed in a staged encounter at Benazir Shaheed Park, Clifton, by Rangers personnel in Karachi, who declared Sarfaraz Shah as a dacoit. The deceased was the resident of Hijrat Colony.
It seems as if human blood is worthless in Pakistan, dozens of people have been killed by identified target killers but none of the culprits get arrested. Even if the poor man was a criminal as the Rangers allege, such extra-judicial acts cannot be tolerated in a country with an organised judicial system to deliver justice.
Actually, there is mistrust between the common man and law enforcement institutions which is why nobody trusts them to do justice and vigilante justice and extra-judicial acts are on the rise. Such incidents are a huge cause for concern.
If common man will take law in his hand or law enforcement personnel will exhibit trigger-happy behaviour, the country will descend into chaos with a complete breakdown in law and order. Government is advised to take some serious action rather than making committees only.
SIDRA YASEEN
Karachi
(V)
While I am writing this, my heart is weeping and my mind thundering asking whether we really have any value for human life. The recent incident in Karachi outlines how brutal as a nation we have become. Many still haven’t forgotten the lynching in Sialkot, or the Kharotabad killings and many other such incidents in recent times whereas another such tragedy has taken place.
Sarfaraz Shah, a young matriculation student, was ruthlessly slaughtered in broad daylight by security enforcement agency personnel in the main city of Karachi.
The barbarity depicted in a footage released shows the way the young boy was shot and pled for mercy which he never was allowed and at last laid to rest; serving as the Rangers personnel’s own brand of vigilante justice. But the fact that reticent spectators were once again busy in making video and no one even intervened to at least take the boy to a hospital makes them complicit in this deplorable extra-judicial killing.
Even if it is to be believed that the boy was a dacoit and had held a family hostage in Benazir Bhutto Park and he was involved in snatching cash and valuables from visitors etc, it still does not justify such dispensation of justice.
If gun-toting personnel could be judge, jury and executioner, why should we have a law-enforcement and judicial machinery. While there can be no redressing for the loss of a precious human life, the only thing that can make the situation better is seeing that justice is done.
KASHIF SHAIKH
Lahore