Majority of the anti-terrorism courts (ATC) judges on Thursday expressed disappointment over the performance and potential of provincial government’s law officers and ministerial staff appointed at ATCs before the Supreme Court (SC)’s two-member committee on Karachi situation.
Reliable sources told Pakistan Today that nine of the 11 ATC judges in Sindh, including three from Karachi Division, disapproved the working of the staff in a meeting held at the SC Karachi registry.
“The judges complained that the prosecutors working in the other districts of Sindh were mostly appointed on political basis and are unaware about the basics of law as most of them are non-practicing lawyers. However, the performance of only one court’s prosecutor and additional prosecutor in Karachi was criticised.”
The capabilities of two prosecutors were well-liked by the judges of the courts concerned, the sources added. It was also discussed during the meeting that courts cannot convict real culprits without appropriative efforts from law officers and prosecutors.
It is worth noting that in 11 ATCs in the province more than 30 special public prosecutors and additional prosecutors are working under the administrative control of Sindh Criminal Prosecution Department; however, their salaries are drawn from the Sindh Home Department.
At the meeting, apart from the law officers’ performances, some facts about the difficulties being faced by them including salaries being paid after delays of 2 to 3 months also came under discussion.
It was stated that in Karachi, no basic facilities are provided to the law officers and some of them are even compelled to sit in the parking space as no vacant offices are available inside courts premises. No security is provided to them even while dealing in dangerous and high-profile cases, including that of targeted killings and terrorist activities.
Muhammad Khan Buriro and Mubashir Mirza, law officers belonging to the Karachi division, could not be approached for comments despite repeated attempts.
Recently, SSP Chaudhry Aslam’s house in Karachi was attacked by terrorists. It was widely reported in the media that the police officer had been receiving threats after he arrested Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan militants. The security at the residence of Aslam was thereby increased.
However, Buriro, the case prosecutor pleading the case against the accused militants in ATC-I, has not been provided any security checks despite his repeated requests. Buriro was also the law officer in the Sarfaraz Shah murder case in which six Rangers officials were convicted.
It is pertinent to mention that suspects produced before ATCs in Karachi are also kept in cages – like those for animals – in the court premises.
