The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Tuesday asked the government to carry out the required legislation to eliminate the trend of extortion so that strict action could be taken against extortionists. The court also said action against terrorist outfits should be taken.
The larger bench of apex court comprising Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali, Justice Sarmard Jalal Usmani, Justice Amir Hani Muslim and Justice Ghulam Rabbani resumed the proceedings of suo motu case on Karachi violence.
The CJP asked why the religious and political parties were collecting extortion's even from pushcart vendors and said there should be a legislation in this regard to rein in outlaws. Iftikhar Chaudhry said the senate and assemblies were functional and there should not be any haplessness. The court also asked the government to appoint judges in the six vacant anti-terrorism courts of the province in two days. Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali, Justice Ghulam Rabbani and Justice Sarmard Jalal Osmani in their observations said the judges who were nominated for the posts were quite competent.
President Supreme Court Bar Association Asma Jahangir, Vice Chairman of Sindh Bar Council Iftikhar Javed Qazi, President Karachi Bar Association Muhammad Aqil and Secretary Karachi Bar Association Haider Imam Rizvi completed their arguments. Advocate General Sindh Abdul Fateh Malik told the court that arrangements had been made to screen the video of a torture cell but the video regarding an act of drilling on human body could not be arranged. Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali showed displeasure and said that Kati Pahari area remained hostage claiming over 100 lives and no action had been taken. He said during such a situation Army should have been deployed to restore peace.
The CJP asked about the video of people burned alive in a bus and its FIR. The concerned police official said that two culprits, Muhammad Shafi and Khanzada, had been arrested under the FIR 460/2011 registered at Jackson Police Station. The official added that the FIR was lodged against several people. The incident claimed seven lives.
The CJP in his observations, following a joint investigation report, submitted by Advocate Iftikhar Gilani other day highlighting the role of Ajmal Pahari and other outlaws, said he wanted to know about the place where these people had received training and what sort of criminal acts they had committed. He also gave reference of allegations against ANP in 1976, saying at the time action had been taken.
He observed that the Karachi situation was a political issue but it was being depicted as an ethnic one, saying that Ajmal Pahari's case was a clear evidence and action against terrorist outfits should be taken. IG Sindh told the court after Justice Sarmad Jalal Osmani asked about Ajmal Pahari that the outlaw was in police custody. Regarding the Chakra Goth gunfire incident, IG Sindh told the court that Kamran Madhuri had been arrested and he too was in police custody. He said Madhuri's wife was also wanted by police in several cases.
Replying to the CJP's question with regard to the name of Kamran Madhuri missing from the FIR, the IG said the police had captured wounded Kamran Madhuri and Sohail and they were being given medical aid at civil hospital after receiving the intelligence report immediately after the Chakra Goth incident.
Upon which CJP said there should be the said name in the FIR. According to him, because of incomplete FIRs, criminals enjoyed escape from the law. He urged the police to act impartially and that there should be independent investigations. Asma Jahangir said the issue of deterioration in peace in Karachi had escalated gradually and cases of extra-judicial killings had appeared in the past too. She said MQM was behind the issues and extortion's. However, she added, now other parties had followed suit and were now involved in illegal collection of money in the city.
She said the issues of political parties could not be solved in the Supreme Court. However, she added, the court's job was to find ways acceptable for all to solve disputes. She demanded recruitment in police on merit and called for nullifying all those appointments in the law enforcing departments made on any political basis. Asma also criticised media for flaring up issues and creating sensationalism, saying she was a supporter of independent but responsible media.
The court also accepted the applications of Punjabi Pakhtoon Ittehad (PPI), Pakistan Muslim League (N) and Syed Iqbal Haider to become party to the case. Attorney General Maulvi Anwarul Haq, Dr Babar Awan, ANP's Advocate Iftikhar Gilani, JI's lawyer, Advocate Ghulam Qadir Jatoi and PPI's chief Irfanullah Khan Marwat were present in the court. The court adjourned the proceedings till Wednesday morning.