Sindh Police Inspector General (IG) Wajid Ali Durrani told the Supreme Court during the hearing of a suo motu case on the Karachi violence on Friday that 30 to 40 percent of the police force was appointed on political grounds, and they provided support to criminals. Durrani told a five-member bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, that he was “not independent” and his hands were tied. He said he could not even transfer police officials on his own.
“Take non-discriminatory action against those involved in the killings,” the CJP said, after hearing testimony by Durrani. “Whatever the situation may be, whether a person is killed because of enmity or terrorism, police will have to take action and catch those responsible,” he said. But Durrani acknowledged politicisation in the police force, with the gang wars linked to party affiliations in the city. “Around 30 to 40 percent of appointments in the police force have been made on political grounds, which is a big problem,” Durrani told the court.The CJP said the SC had passed an order regarding shoulder promotions implemented in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, but that order was not implemented in Sindh. He said because of the bench’s presence in Karachi, all law enforcement agencies had become active. “We want to save the lives of innocent people,” said Chaudhry.The CJP asked Durrani why two suspects in the Chakra Goth case had been released and what action had been taken against the police officers responsible. Durrani said the investigation officer of the case had been suspended and the station house officer (SHO) had been transferred.The CJP said the action was not enough and the SHO must be punished. “How can police officers who spoil the cases of their own colleagues be sincere with the cases of common citizens?” said Chaudhry.
During Friday’s proceedings, Attorney General Moulvi Anwarul Haq presented the report of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) to the bench. The court also asked for summaries of certain first information reports (FIRs) to be presented at the next hearing.Sindh Advocate General Fateh Malik presented a summary of various cases from July 24 to August 24. Malik also told the court that Nawaz Baloch, who had been abducted from Karsaz, had been recovered and an FIR had been registered against the killings in Lyari. The CJP told him to provide details of an incident of firing on a bus in Banaras and the kidnapping of footballers in Lyari. The bench said that the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), during the hearing on Thursday, had shown them concrete facts on the situation in the city.
