SC orders elimination of no-go areas in Karachi

Supreme Court (SC) has ordered Rangers and police to launch an operation in Karachi to eliminate no-go areas from the city immediately.
A larger bench of the SC presided by Chief Justice (CJ) Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry resumed hearing of the Karachi law and order case on Friday. The other members of the bench included Justice Jawad S Khawaja, Justice Khilji Arif Hussain, Justice Amir Hani Muslim and Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan.
The CJ inquired from Rangers’ counsel Shahid Anwar if any Rangers personnel were assassinated in Lyari and if their killers had been apprehended by the force.
Anwar replied police conducted raids in Lyari at night and arrested18 culprits.
The CJ mocked the counsel saying 8 people were killed in the city yesterday which meant the law enforcing agencies were not doing their job. “A heavy budget was allocated to Rangers and powers were assigned to police. But what result have you shown?” said the CJ.
Earlier the Rangers DG and the Sindh IG filed separate replies on ‘no-go’ areas in Karachi.
The CJ rejecting the replies said the court had directed filing of a joint reply following a meeting.
“Any area where someone other than the government is exercising writ is called a no-go area. The chief secretary, the Rangers DG and the Sindh IG did not admit in clear terms about presence of no-go areas in Karachi. The court wants immediate peace in Karachi. The Rangers DG and Sindh IG should go now and bring a joint statement,” the court said.
The SC directed that the Rangers DG and the Sindh IG monitor the operation for elimination of no-go areas in the city, immediately.
The CJ said Rangers’ chief had not accepted responsibility for the worsening law and order situation. “If you go to Lyari, Shershah, Lines area and Jamshed Quarters, you will find no-go areas therein. Girls are being lifted in the presence of police and Rangers in defence,” said the CJ.
He further said, “One of you says no-go areas exist while the other negates it. You are making a mockery of courts”.
The Sindh chief secretary requested the court to allow 15 to 20 days time to police and Rangers to cleanse Karachi from crime.
The CJ said elections are close and asked the chiefs of Rangers and police to ensure peace in the city.
SSP Niaz Khosa also appeared in court and said half of Karachi has turned into a no-go area, completely contradicting the Rangers’ chief’s earlier statements.
Khosa said, “We are forced to free culprits over phone calls after taking bribes. Calls come from all areas including Lyari when culprits are arrested”.