Law and Order URC

NEWSCLIPPINGS

JANUARY TO JUNE 2019

LAW & ORDERS

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Law and Order URC

Targeted killing: KMC employee shot dead in Hussainabad

Unidentified assailants shot and killed an employee of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) at Hussainabad locality of Federal B Area in Central district on Monday. The deceased was struck by seven bullets in different parts of the body. Nine bullet shells of a 9mm pistol were recovered from the scene of the crime. According to police, the deceased was called to the location through a phone call. They said the late KMC employee was on his motorcycle waiting for someone.

Two unidentified men killed him by opening fire at him at Hussainabad, near Okhai Memon Masjid, in the limits of Azizabad police station. The deceased, identified as Shakeel Ahmed, aged 35, son of Shafiq Ahmed, was shifted to Hospital for medico-legal formalities. He was a resident of house no. L-72 Sector 5C 4, , and worked as a clerk in KMC‘s engineering department.

Rangers and police officials reached the scene after receiving information of the incident. They recovered nine bullet shells of a 9mm pistol and have begun investigating the incident. According to Azizabad DSP Shaukat Raza, someone had phoned and summoned the deceased to Hussainabad, near Okhai Memon Masjid. The DSP said Shakeel was sitting on his motorcycle without his helmet and was waiting for someone when two armed men on a motorcycle came from the opposite direction, opened fire on him and escaped the scene.

The DSP termed it as an incident of target killing but said the police is investigating the case from various angles. The SHO said that the deceased was shot seven times on different parts of the body including head, arm, and back. Central SSP Arif Aslam Rao said that two bullets in critical parts of the body became the cause of death. The actual number of bullets will be determined after the post-mortem.

The SSP said political or religious affiliations of the deceased have not been determined as yet and no political or religious party has so far owned him as their worker. No criminal record of the deceased has been found, he said. The police is approaching the case as a target killing, a case of personal rivalry and from other angles. The CCTV footage from nearby cameras is also being retrieved, he said.

Separately, the body of a man was found from a warehouse near Madina Hotel MPR Colony Mujeeb Goth, in the area of police station. The deceased had a head wound . The police reached the scene on receiving information, took the body in custody and shifted it to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital for medico-legal formalities. The deceased was identified as Ayaz Khan, aged 35, son of Khan Muhammad. He was a resident of MPR Colony. Orangi Town SHO Muhammad Basheer said that the deceased fell from the roof top of the warehouse and the accident resulted in his death. The police has handed over the body to the family after investigation.

In another incident, Hazrat Ameen, aged 50, was injured when unidentified armed men opened fire at him near Shabbir Eye Hospital Masjid Darul Islam Metro Ville Sector 3 in the limits of SITE A police station. He was immediately taken to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital. According to police, the incident was the result of a personal rivalry. (By Our Correspondent , 04, 01/01/2019)

Karachi Operation report: 2018 records highest number of Rangers operations

Since the Karachi operation, jointly conducted by the Rangers and the police, began in September 2013, the law and order situation in the port city has considerably improved, claims a progress report submitted by the Sindh Rangers.

According to the report, most of the operations, in the span of five years and four months, were conducted in 2018. In the ye ar 2013, the report records 57 incidents of terrorism. It increased to 66 in 2014 and 199 in 2015. The number of incidents decreased to 16 in 2016 and finally zero in 2017. Two incidents were recorded in 2018, however.

The incidents of target killings saw a steep decline. In the first year of the operation, 965 incidents were recorded. It dec reased to 602 in 2014, 199 in 2015, 89 in 2016, 45 in 2017 and nine in 2018. Similarly, cases of also declined. A total of 1,524 cases were recorded in 2013, which decreased to 899 in 2014, 303 in 2015, 101 in 2016, 65 in 2017, and 51 in 2018. Incidents of kidnapping decreased from 174 in 2013 to 115 in 2014, 37 in 2015, 26 in 2016, 18 in 2017 and 13 in 2018.

The report further states that Sindh Rangers seized 13,224 weapons and 876,083 bullets of different weapons. These include 7 RPG rocket launchers, 139 heavy and light machine guns, 1,431 Kalashnikovs and sub-machine guns, 662 short guns, 977 repeaters, 1,584 rifles, 8,378 pistols and revolvers.

In all, 15,838 operations were conducted. A total of 11,619 terrorists and other criminals were handed over to the police and 2,210 terrorists, 1,881 target killers, 852 extortionists and 227 kidnappers were arrested. A total of 169 kidnapped people were also successfully recovered. The operations were not without casualties, 28 Rangers were martyred in the line of duty and 100 others injured. In 2018 alone, four Sindh Rangers were martyred. (By Our Correspondent The Express Tribune, 04, 01/01/2019)

Rao Anwar retires from police

Recalcitrant police Rao Anwar Ahmed retired from police service while being suspended and facing trial for killing four men, including South Waziristan youngster Naqeebullah Mehsud, in a fake encounter last year, official sources said on Tuesday.

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They said that the 30-year-long career of Rao Anwar, who had been enlarged on bail in the Naqeeb murder case, in police ended as he attained the age of superannuation.

He joined police in 1982 as an assistant sub- and rose to the rank of SSP. Most years of his service remained controversial because of his involvement in various ―encounters,‖ they added. As the SSP-Malir, Rao Anwar along with DSP Qamar Ahmed Shaikh and several other officials was booked for killing four men, including Naqeeb, in a fake encounter in on Jan 13, 2018. He was also booked for foisting fake recoveries of illicit arms and explosives on the victims.

After protest by the civil society and anger over social media, the Supreme Court took suo motu notice and ordered his arrest. Furthermore, protests staged by the Mehsud tribe and the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) lent impetus to the call for justice for Naqeeb.

He went into hiding soon after demands for his arrest in the Naqeeb murder case gained traction after it came to light that the victim had been a shopkeeper and aspiring model from Waziristan who had settled in Karachi.

He was then arrested in March 2018 when he finally appeared before the Supreme Court after eluding law enforcement agencies for over a month. After spending more than three months in prison, an Anti-Terrorism Court granted him bail which led to his release. (By The Newspaper's Staff Reporter , 15, 02/01/2019)

No significant decline in kidnappings seen in Karachi in 2018

As many as 38 persons were kidnapped for ransom in Sindh in 2018, according to a crime data report issued by the provincial police on Monday.

In the year 2017, a total of 46 persons had been kidnapped for ransom in different districts of Sindh.

The police report revealed that in 2017 only three incidents of terrorism had been reported in the province while in 2018 four terrorism incidents took place.

In 2017, a total of 23 people fell victim to targeted killing while in 2018 year only nine people were murdered in targeted attacks.

In the year 2017 as many as 1,520 people were murdered on account of various reasons across the Sindh province while in 2018, a total of 1,298 people were killed.

Lyari gangster Ghaffar Zikri and kidnapper Mashooq Nadwani were gunned down

As many as nine bank robbery incidents took place in the year 2017 while in 2018 only three bank robberies took place in the province.

1,182 ‘encounters’ The data showed that a total of 1,182 ‗encounters‘ took place in the year 2018 in which four alleged terrorists and 81 dacoits were killed in various parts of the province.

During these encounters, 661 ‗gangs‘ were busted while 2,206 suspects were arrested red-handed.

In one of the encounters ‗notorious gangster‘ of Ghaffar Zikri was gunned down.

One alleged ‗notorious‘ kidnapper Mashooq Nadwani allegedly involved in kidnapping of a bureaucrat was killed in an encounter in the Benazirabad district.

Action against sub-nationalist groups The counter terrorism department of police arrested a suspect, Nadir Bhangwar, in the Benazirabad district.

He was an ―activist/mastermind of the banned Jeay Sindh Muttahida Mahaz/Sindh Republican Army which was involved in improvised explosive device blast in Nawabshah city‖.

During the year 2018, the police also launched different campaigns in order to maintain law and order and arrested a total of 9,045 proclaimed offenders and 18,709 absconders while a huge quantity of drugs was also seized. (By Imtiaz Ali Dawn, 15, 02/01/2019)

IGP orders probe into man’s death ‘in police custody’ in Karachi

A man died under controversial circumstance in the Defence area on Wednesday.

His relatives, however, alleged that police had detained Qaim Ali and he died in their custody because of torture. But the police denied his arrest and claimed he died of a heart attack outside the house where he worked as a driver.

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As the media highlighted the incident, the inspector general of police and the provincial government took notice of it and ordered an impartial probe to ascertain the veracity of the claims.

The Defence police said a man, identified as Tariq Mustafa, informed them about his driver, Qaim Ali, who he said had suffered a heart attack while sitting in his car outside his home. He sought police‘s help for shifting him to a hospital, said a police spokesperson in a statement.

After receiving the information, the police shifted him to the National Institute of Cardiovascular Disease (NICVD) in a mobile van, where doctors pronounced him dead.

―The deceased was neither arrested by the police nor died in their custody,‖ said the spokesperson.

However, the driver‘s relatives, who arrived at the NICVD and then shifted the body to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre for a post-mortem examination, claimed that he was arrested by the police and died in their custody.

A relative present at the JPMC told Dawn that a police party raided a house in Defence area late on Tuesday night and detained Qaim Ali and other persons from a party.

The relative said that the police brought Qaim at the NICVD at around 4:15am on Wednesday, dropped him outside the hospital and disappeared.

Referring to the CCTV footage at the hospital, the relative said that the hospital staff brought him inside where he was pronounced dead.

Later, Special Assistant to Chief Minister on Human Rights Dr Khatumal reached the hospital with his relatives and other residents of Thar and shifted the body to the JPMC.

Additional police surgeon Dr Sheeraz Ali Khowaja told Dawn that Dr Raja Memon conducted the autopsy and reserved the cause of death for the report of a histopathological and chemical examination.

He added that there were no apparent marks of torture.

Meanwhile, IGP Dr Syed Kaleem Imam took notice of media reports about the incident and directed the DIG-South Sharjeel Kharal to conduct an impartial probe and submit a report.

The DIG told Dawn that there was no ‗foul play‘ and the Defence police only shifted the man to the hospital. (By The Newspaper's Staff Reporter Dawn, 15, 03/01/2019)

Polio: down, but not out

FROM Dec 10 to Dec 13, the final door-to-door anti-polio vaccination campaign took place. Around 260,000 workers across the country set out to administer vaccination drops to 38.72m children under the age of five. This included 19.2m children in ; 8.9m in Sindh; 6.8m in KP; 2.53m in Balochistan; 0.347m in ; 0.237m in GB; and 0.7m in AJK. The campaign took place in coordination with a similar one in , to ensure that children on the move between the borders were also administered drops. An effort of this size and scale is bound to come across some problems, and so it was this time around as well. First, there was news of a 10-member polio team found to be forging names of children vaccinated and flushing vaccines in Islamabad in November. Although the team was immediately sacked, it did raise concerns over how frequently this might be happening. However, polio eradication teams maintained that they follow strict monitoring mechanisms that allow such malpractices to be quickly caught. Then, owing to widely shared misinformation of an infant passing away (after purportedly being administered polio drops), there was a reported 25pc increase in vaccine refusals in Islamabad alone. And, most recently, a third-party auditing team noted discrepancies between claims made by district administrations about the number of children vaccinated, and those they observed without marked fingers, finding a 10pc difference.

These setbacks are no reason to lose hope that the country will one day be polio-free. When looking at the larger picture, there has, indeed, been a steady decline in the number of cases reported over the years, particularly since the formation of the National Emergency Operations Centre for Polio Eradication in 2014. In the 1990s, there were there nearly 20,000 cases reported each year. In 2018, that figure had dropped to eight. And an extensive surveillance system exists. But the greatest tragedy remains the number of lives lost in these efforts. Anti-polio vaccinators are the unsung heroes of our time. (By Editorial Dawn, 08, 03/01/2019)

Counter-terrorism inspector arrested for Rs20 million heist

New Town Police have arrested a Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) Inspector Rana Ashfaq over allegations of robbing over Rs20 million from a house. The investigation team is, however, trying to hush up the matter in order to protect their colleagues.

Meanwhile, three other police officials implicated in the case are currently on the run.

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The incident came to light when Muhammad Farhan, who owns a car showroom, registered an FIR at the New Town Police Station, claiming that police personnel had barged into his house and stolen valuables at gunpoint.

The robbery According to the FIR, a copy of which is available with The Express Tribune, two police officials, accompanied by four other individuals in plain clothes and two policewomen, whose faces were covered with veils, forcibly entered his house located in Sharfabad at around 8:45am on December 3. The victim alleged that the police personnel announced they had come to search the property.

Subsequently, they started asking where the money was kept. According to Farhan‘s statement to the police, he repeatedly asked the perpetrators for identification, but they refused to divulge any information and kept shuffling through all the doc uments and valuables present in the house.

―Various savings certificates and prize bonds were at my house, besides laptops, iPhones and other valuable items, which the perpetrators collected from around the house and took away with them,‖ says Farhan, in his statement to the police. According to Farhan, the total value of the stolen items stood at over Rs20 million.

His ordeal, however, did not end here.

Kidnapped As the raiding party was leaving the house, they brought Farhan and his brother outside the house, where the latter saw a pol ice mobile and a silver sedan parked just outside the gate. The brothers were blindfolded and driven around for what seemed like 15 to 20 minutes. All this while, they were threatened with dire consequences if they dared report the robbery to the police or tell anyone about the incident.

The brothers were later dropped off on a deserted road, while the perpetrators sped off. When they finally took off the blindfolds, they realised they were standing on Lyari Expressway.

Farhan and his brother walked to the nearest exit, which turned out to be near Shershah, from where they hailed a rickshaw to go home.

The FIR was registered four days later at the New Town Police Station on the complaint of Farhan and includes sections of robbery and kidnapping.

Investigations When the New Town Police started investigating the incident, Inspector Rana Muhammad Ashfaq and his team posted in CTD‘s Operations wing was found to be involved in the matter. According to a police source, Inspector Ashfaq was arrested in the la st week of December, but his accomplices are still on the run.

The other accused include CTD personnel Shehzad, Abid and Rizwan. Four other persons are also on the run, while the police mobile used in the crime has also not been found yet.

When New Town Police SHO Farzad Shiekh was contacted to inquire about the arrest of Inspector Ashfaq, he kept feigning ignorance about the case. (By Raheel Salman The Express Tribune, 04, 03/01/2019)

Two policemen detained over custodial death in Karachi

Defence Police detained on Thursday two of their own personnel over their alleged involvement in the death of a person, Qaim Ali, who died allegedly in police custody in the early hours of Wednesday.

The two police officials have been implicated along with six others in an FIR, number 5/2019, registered under Section 302/34 of the Penal Code (PPC). The FIR was registered on the complaint of the deceased‘s nephew, Muhammad Iqbal. Section 302 of the PPC pertains to Qatl-i-amd [intension of causing death or bodily injury which is likely to cause death], punishable with death or imprisonment. The accused include the duty officer of Defence Police Station, a sub-inspector, an assistant sub- inspector, a mobile driver and four other police personnel.

Crackdown: Police shoot one, arrest 46 Allegations Early on Wednesday morning, a police party from Defence police station allegedly raided a house located on Khayaban-e- Badban in Defence Housing Authority, which falls under the jurisdiction of Darakshan Police Station. They took the owner of the house, Tariq Mustafa, his driver, Qaim Ali, and a woman in custody and brought them back to the Defence Police Station.

According to police sources, Mustafa and the women were allowed to leave after paying a bribe of Rs500,000. At this point, the victim‘s nephew, Iqbal, alleges that the police tortured Qaim Ali to death and then took him to the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD), claiming that the deceased had suffered a heart attack. CCTV footage obtained from the NICVD shows a police mobile bringing the victim to the emergency ward at around 6am. When the doctors cast suspicions over the cause of death, they suggested to conduct a post-mortem, at which point the police team fled, leaving behind the dead body. The body was later handed over to the victims‘ family.

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FIR registered The FIR was registered after Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) MPA Haleem Adil Sheikh took notice of the protest by the deceased‘s family on Road. The family placed the victim‘s body in the middle of the dual carriageway on Wednesday night, burnt tires and shouted slogans against the police. On receiving information of the protest, Sheikh reached the scene and managed to coax the protesters into dispersing, after promising a fair investigation.

Police version Here is where it gets very interesting. On Wednesday night, South SSP Pir Muhammad Shah told the media a completely different story from the family‘s version of what transpired. Addressing a press conference, SSP Shah claimed that Tariq Mustafa was going somewhere with his driver, Qaim Ali, who suddenly felt pain in his chest. According to the police, Mustafa got the attention of police personnel in a nearby police mobile, who then rushed Qaim Ali to the hospital. The doctors at NICVD confirmed Qaim Ali‘s death after examining him and the police returned to the police station. They maintain that the deceased was never in custody and had died of a heart attack.

Investigation underway Taking notice of the incident, Sindh Inspector General of Police Dr Kaleem Imam ordered an investigation and sought a report from the South DIG.

Cop killer at large: Police make little progress in tracing suspects Subsequently, Qaim Ali‘s body was shifted to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) and then handed over to the family after a several-hour-long post-mortem. Samples from the body were taken and sent to the laboratory for chemical examination. The additional police surgeon at JPMC, Dr Sheeraz, said that there were no torture marks found on the body but the cause of death will be determined after the chemical examination reports.

Family’s stance Iqbal told The Express Tribune that his uncle was originally from Thar district and had been working at Mustafa‘s bungalow for the past three months. The deceased had three sons and a daughter. The nephew alleged that the police had tortured Qaim Ali and consequently killed him. If his condition was deteriorating, Mustafa should have taken him to the hospital and not wasted time at the police station, he lamented. The family has departed for their ancestral village for the burial. (By Our Correspondent The Express Tribune, 04, 04/01/2019)

Ambulance service shut down amid money-laundering allegations

Khidmat-e-Khalq Foundation (KKF), the second-largest welfare organisation of Pakistan after Edhi, has decided to stop operating its ambulance service in view of the view financial crunch brought about by its operations being scrutinised over allegations of money laundering.

KKF, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement‘s (MQM) charity wing, had been in operation since 1978, and ran over 100 ambulances, funeral buses, mortuaries, dispensaries, blood banks and even a university. While most of these services were based in Karachi, it had spread to other parts of the country, particularly in Hyderabad. The charity organisation also received the Sitara-e-Jurat [Star of Courage] – the third-highest military award in Pakistan – for its services in the aftermath of the earthquake in in 2005.

―Such a serious decision against a welfare organisation for a single person‘s actions is unfair. We are consulting a legal adviser over this issue,‖ said the MQM-Pakistan spokesperson, when asked about the organisation‘s future prospects. He was referring to the recent orders by the Federal Investigation Agency to seize Rs3 billion worth of properties owned by the charity.

The fallout With the second-largest fleet of ambulances, the KKF was a life-saver for the lower-income groups of Karachi in the absence of a public ambulance service. The fleet is the first to feel the pinch. Several morgues too have been shut down.

For now, the organisation has still managed to salvage the Nazeer Hussain Hospital in Federal B Area and its namesake university in . The blood banks, too, are providing services for now. The KKF‘s hospital in Hyderabad is the only hospital with incubator facilities.

According to the spokesperson, who asked not to be named, ―the KKF has been providing emergency services to the public for the past several decades‖. Its closure will impact thousands of people, he added. ―We have reached out to the federal and provincial governments in this regard and hope the issues will be resolved soon.‖ (By Naeem Khanzada The Express Tribune, 05, 07/01/2019)

Over 3,200 cases pending trial in 53 ATCs in Sindh

Fifty-three antiterrorism courts (ATCs) in Sindh, set up for conducting speedy trial, remain unable to decide cases within the stipulated time as mentioned in the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), as over 3,200 cases remain pending trial, it emerged on Sunday.

The ATCs were established under the ATA, 1997 for speedy trial of cases pertaining to terrorism, sectarian and targeted killing, extortion and kidnapping for ransom.

An ATC is legally bound to decide a case within seven days after indictment.

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According to Section 19 (7) of the ATA, the court shall, on taking cognizance of a case, proceed with the trial on a day-to-day basis and shall decide it within seven days, failing which an application may be made to the administrative judge of the high court concerned for appropriate directions for an expeditious disposal of the case.

It is mentioned in Section 13 (2) of the ATA that one case at a time shall be assigned to a court. However, if for some reason a given case cannot be proceeded with, more than one case may be assigned to it to save time.

According to figures compiled by prosecution and judicial sources, by the end of November there are around 3,210 cases pending trial before the 53 ATCs functioning in the province.

Of the 33 permanent ATCs, 20 are in Karachi, three in Hyderabad, two in Sukkur and one each in Mirpurkhas, Shaheed Benazirabad, Naushero Feroze, Shikarpur, Kashmore / Kandhkot, Larkana, Khairpur and Ghotki.

Around 15pc conviction rate in 2018

The statistics further showed that the ATCs disposed of around 3,160 cases in 11 months of 2018 while nearly 1,690 new cases were filed during the same period.

The ATCs convicted and handed down sentences to the accused in around 467 cases. The conviction rate stood at around 15percent.

Among them, a high-profile case pertained to the murder of senior Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf‘s leader Zohra Shahid in which two accused belonging to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement- were sentenced to death while as many MQM-L men were acquitted due to lack of evidence.

A former district and sessions judge, Sikandar Lashari, along with another accused Irfan Khan aka Fahim was sentenced to death over the murder of 19-year-old Aqib Shahani, son of his fellow district judge in Feb 2014.

Around 85pc acquittal rate Similarly, the ATCs acquitted accused persons in around 2,690 cases as the prosecution failed to prove its allegations against them. The conviction rate remained around 85 percent.

Karachi‘s ATC-XI, Sukkur‘s ATC-II, ATC/ADJ 1st Hyderabad, ATC/ADJ 1st Mirpurkhas, ATC/ADJ 1st Shaheed Benazirabad, ATC/ADJ 1st Naushero Feroze, ATC/ADJ 1st Shikarpur and ATC/ADJ 1st Khairpur showed a zero conviction rate.

Two cases pertaining to the murder of three policemen in which MQM‘s Obaid alias K2 was acquitted after prosecuting agencies could not prove their case.

In March 2013, the Supreme Court had directed the provincial government to increase the number of the permanent ATCs while the was asked to delegated powers under the ATA were to the district and sessions judges to ensure ‗swift‘ trials of the suspects in cases pertaining to terrorism, , ransom, etc.

The number of the permanent ATCs was increased to 33 while 20 district and sessions courts in different districts were given the powers under the ATA. However, five ATCs at Karachi were lying vacant for quite some time due to want of judges, who were finally appointed in July and onwards.

Some cases pending trial for over 15 years

However, the purpose to establish the ATCs seems to remain unserved as decade-old cases have yet to be decided. There are 3,213 cases pending trial before the ATCs.

More than 10 cases have been pending trial at different ATCs for around a decade.

Several cases were pending trial against the former Peoples Aman Committee chairman Uzair Jan Baloch since he was in the custody of the army and reportedly facing trial for sedition before the military court.

Qasim Toori, an alleged member of proscribed Jundullah, had been charged with masterminding an attack on a convoy of the then Karachi corps commander in 2004 in Clifton.

He along with his accomplice is also facing trial for allegedly engaging in a massive shoot-out with the police and other law enforcement agencies in which two policemen were killed in Shah Latif Town in January 2008.

The trial of Attaullah and other suspects of the proscribed Lashkar-i-Jhangvi for the murder of Ehteshamuddin Haider, the elder brother of former Sindh governor and interior minister retired Lt Gen Moinuddin Haider, has been pending since 2001.

Around five cases pertaining to sectarian killings and illicit weapons against Mohammad Ajmal, better known as Akram Lahori, the alleged chief of the LJ, and his aides have been pending before ATCs since 2002.

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Also, the trial of the 2006 Nishtar Park bombing case and two murder and explosive substance cases of 2004 registered against Jundullah activist Atta-ur-Rehman and others are also pending for over 12 and 14 years, respectively.

The trial into the cases pertaining to murder of the South Waziristan model Naseebullah Mehsud, better known as Naqeebullah Mehsud, and three others in an alleged ‗staged‘ shoot-out in Jan 2018 is also pending trial for almost one year.

In May, the interior ministry had approved transfer of 90 terrorism cases, including the Nishtar Park and blast bomb blasts cases, for trial by military courts established under the Act, 1952.

More than 50 people, including several religious leaders, were killed and over 100 others wounded in the massive bombing that ripped through a 12th Rabiul Awwal congregation at Nishtar Park in April 2006.

Sultan Mahmood alias Saifullah, Mufti Zakir Hussain Siddiqui, Mohammad Amin alias Khalid Shaheen, and Rehmatullah, said to be associated with the banned LJ, were held for their alleged involvement in the act of terrorism. Sultan has already been convicted in the Allama Hassan Turabi murder case.

Although the accused were arrested in 2007, the case, one of the acts of terrorism in which the lost its top leadership, was still fixed for evidence of prosecution witnesses.

Official documents stated that three suspects, Amanullah alias Mufti Ilyas, M. Khalid Abrar alias M. Yousuf and Qari Abid Iqbal were still at large.

The second high-profile case pertains to twin blasts targeting the Shia-dominated Abbas Town neighbourhood in Karachi in which around 50 people were killed and 150 were injured in March 2013.

Six suspects, including Khairuddin alias Mansoor, M. Ishaq, Inamullah alias Mola, Alam Sher alias Patay, Irfan and M. Shafiq alias Bashir — all said to be associated with LJ — have been arrested. (By Naeem Sahoutara Dawn, 13, 07/01/2019)

Sindh govt moves to amend ‘outdated’ police laws

Sindh Information Adviser Murtaza Wahab has said that the provincial government is bringing reforms to the policing system by amending the Police Act 1861. Speaking to media outside the Sindh Assembly on Wednesday, he said, ―A subordinate committee related to this issue has been established under Minister of Energy Imtiaz Ahmed Sheikh, which will submit its re port in a week and the final report will be presented as a legal draft in the Sindh Assembly for approval,‖ said Wahab.

He also denied the rumour that provincial government wants to curtail the inspector-general‘s powers. ―The existing Police Act is outdated. The new laws are being finalised after consultation with different stakeholders,‖ he said.

Wahab also said that the police laws need to be amended in accordance with the present ground realities and passed through an objective and transparent procedure. ―The Police Act of 1861 is not compatible with the contemporary age. It needs to be amended for resolving the investigation matters, medico-legal formalities, self-accountability of police and public complaints promptly.‖

Wahab, responding to a question, said that they were heading towards such a law-making process in which police laws would be compiled anew. This would strengthen the police as well as resolve the problems of the department. ―In addition to this, the laws will ease the problems faced by police in registering FIRs and addressing public issues.‖ This will facilitate the public. The police officials would also have to face the accountability process which will further ensure transparency.

Talking about opposition parties in Sindh Assembly who demanded the chief minister‘s resignation, he said, ―Opposition should demonstrate a sense of responsibility and wisdom.‖

He, however, criticised the federal government for not releasing Sindh‘s due share and said, ―Sindh is deprived of Rs90 billi ons from its due share.‖ The advisor deplored that the federal government had failed to play its neutral role in dealing with provincial government and demanded the prime minister to release Sindh‘s due share without further delay. (By Our Correspondent The Express Tribune, 05, 10/01/2019)

Police reforms and intervention

Complaints against the police have received little attention in the past but Chief Justice seeks to change t hat. The Police Reforms Committee has noted various areas for improvement in policing practices, alluding to violations by provinces in rejecting certain constitutional articles. This comes in a timely manner following the January 13 unrest in Karachi when a n estimated 12,000 to 30,000 candidates turned up outside Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital for job interviews. Desperation resulted in the police resorting to physical violence to control the crowd. Despite the police‘s success in controlling the crowd, there needs to be more introspection about how to handle such a situation especially when dealing with a crowd of emotionally-charged and desperate youth.

The sheer number of candidates lined up at Civil Hospital for lower-level jobs paints a gloomy picture because thousands are only qualified enough to seek jobs at that level. Even though some were said to have graduate degrees, it is pitiful that they also

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Societal pressure placed on men due to their assumed role as primary breadwinners in the family can have unintended consequences for mental health. The police resorting to baton charge and this being televised add insult to injury. This is downright unreasonable. We care little about human dignity, which is why the Law and Justice Commission needed to investigate complaints against provincial police forces. With respect to the three terms of reference, including model police laws and reforms, accountability is a major one with incompetence resulting in ―collateral damage‖ like in the case of the little girl Amal in Karachi. Honest and fair investigations further need to be part of the policing framework. These measures hopefully would place a check on abuse of power. (By Editorial The Express Tribune, 16, 15/01/2019)

Man killed, two injured by speeding police van in Karachi

A young man was killed and two others riding a motorcycle were injured when a speeding police van, which was a part of former Karachi Police chief Mushtaq ‘s security protocol, hit them in the jurisdiction of Darakhshan Police station on Tuesday night.

The speeding police van, licence plate number SPM777, struck the motorcycle at the traffic signal of Khayaban-e-Shujaat and Khayaban-e-Mujahid. They were shifted to Jinnah Hospital where the deceased was identified as 23-year-old Muhammad Abrar, son of Muhammad Siddiqi. The injured were identified as 18-year-old Muhammad Saood, son of Muhammad Tariq, and 18-year-old Muhammad Kamran, son of Ameer Hamza. They were residents of Fine House Umar Colony Baloch Bridge and worked at a restaurant at Sea View.

They were returning home from work when the speeding police mobile hit them. SSP Pir Muhammad Shah said that the police mobile which hit the motorcycle was part of the security detail provided to senior police officials. He said that according to reports, the van was part of the security details provided to former AIG Mushtaq Mehar, but they couldn‘t contact him and so the reports hadn‘t been confirmed. Mushtaq Mahar is currently posted as executive director of State Life, according to their website.

He further said that case no. 38/2019 had been filed under Sections 320 and 337 G at Darakhshan Police Station and investigations had been started. The police mobile was taken into custody and police officials involved in the case have been included in the investigations. South Police spokesperson said that the police van was with the former Karachi Police chief a nd was returning from duty when the accident occurred. (By Our Correspondent The Express Tribune, 05, 17/01/2019)

Constable held for killing three in Orangi house

Investigators on Friday arrested a policeman in connection with a triple murder case in Orangi Town.

Three young men, including two brothers, were found shot dead inside a house in Orangi Town late on Thursday night. Police initially suspected it to be an outcome of a dispute between the victims which led to a gunfight.

Officials said headway in the investigation was made hours after the police connected the dots and moved forward through cellular data of the victims.

The crime scene was the home of one of the deceased persons, Nadeem, and two brothers, Imtiaz and Adnan alias Raju, who were his close friends and came to see him.

However, sources said that the facts started emerging when the Pakistan Bazaar police recorded statements of some witnesses and neighbours before collecting cellular data of the victims from the respective companies.

―The suspect, Tanveer, is posted as constable in the investigation section of the Samnabad police station,‖ said an official at the Pakistan Bazaar police station. ―He was arrested through technological support. Actually he had some monetary dispute with Nadeem. He was at Nadeem‘s place to talk about the issue when the two brothers who were called by Nadeem also joined them. It turned into a heated debate and led to firing by Tanveer [who] killed all three on the spot.‖ (By The Newspaper's Staff Reporter Dawn, 15, 19/01/2019)

Police told to make ‘serious’ efforts to find missing children, submit report on March 21

The Sindh High Court on Thursday expressed dissatisfaction over the progress report filed by the police about their efforts for the recovery of missing children and directed the police to make serious efforts to recover them.

The two-judge bench of the SHC, headed by Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto, directed the deputy inspector general of the Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) to use modern devices and all other available resources to ascertain the whereabouts of the children and submit a report on March 21.

In an earlier hearing, the bench had asked the police and the Federal Investigation Agency to check the travel history of missing children after a question was raised about the possibility of their use in human trafficking.

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On Thursday, the DIG CIA, who is heading a committee to make efforts for the recovery of the missing children, through a progress report submitted that the travel history of two of the 18 children had been collected and they had not been sent aboard. He added that they were also coordinating with other provinces to ascertain the whereabouts of the children.

Two facilitators of on Qalandar’s shrine remanded in police custody

On a directive of the SHC, the police had lodged 23 FIRs regarding the missing children at the Awami Colony, North , Nazimabad, Ferozabad, , Docks, Preedy Street, Boat Basin, Quaidabad, Gulshan-i-Iqbal, New Karachi Industrial Area and Korangi police stations. Later, five of them returned home.

The petition was filed by Roshni Research and Development Welfare in 2012 seeking court directives to the provincial police for considering the missing children cases, who went missing in different parts of Karachi, a cognizable offence and registering FIRs in that regard.

The NGO alleged that cases of missing children were not properly investigated by the police which resulted in many avoidable deaths.

Two remanded The administrative judge of antiterrorism courts on Thursday remanded two alleged facilitators of a suicide attack on the shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar in police custody in explosive substance and illicit weapons cases.

Police produced Furqan Bungalzai, alias Azam alias Abdullah, and Ali Akbar, alias Haji, before the court and submitted that they were arrested in a locality and explosive material and unlicensed weapons were found in their possessions.

The investigating officer contended that the detained suspects were also allegedly involved in the suicide attack on the shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar in Sehwan in 2017 and other cases.

The IO sought their custody for questioning and the administrative judge handed them over to police on five-day physical remand with the direction to produce them with a progress report at the next hearing.

The suspects were booked under sections 4/5 of the Explosive Substances Act, 1908 and Section 23(1)(a) of the Sindh Arms Act, 2013 read with Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.

Around 80 people were killed and over 350 others wounded when a suicide bomber blew himself up at the packed-to-capacity courtyard of the shrine of the Sufi saint in February 2017.

The main case is being tried before an antiterrorism court in Hyderabad. (By The Newspaper's Staff Reporter Dawn, 15, 22/01/2019)

Traffic police constable shot dead in

A young police constable was gunned down in the Soldier Bazaar police limits on Monday morning, officials said.

Ehtisham Ahmed, 23, was riding from his home in the area to perform his duty at a traffic post near the mausoleum of Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah when a lone suspect, also riding a motorbike, opened fire on him from behind on Nishtar Road near Abu Ubaida masjid, said area SHO Abdullah Bhutto.

The incident occurred at around 5.15am.

He sustained three bullet wounds and died on the spot. The body was taken to Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi for legal formalities.

Traffic DIG Javed Mahar, who visited the hospital, told the media that investigators had collected two spent bullet casings fired from a 30-bore pistol from the crime scene.

Motive for the killing DIG East Amir Farooqi told Dawn that the police were investigating the murder from different angles.

―We are looking at the incident from both angles of personal and targeted killing,‖ said the officer. ―We have got a few leads indicating personal issues,‖ he added.

―The investigators are working on these (leads) to reach some conclusion as far as personal issues are concerned.‖

When asked to be more specific, the DIG East said the victim constable had shifted to Garden East a few days ago from another locality. He had ―some issues‖ at his previous residence, which might be linked to so-called honour. The victim, a bachelor, originally hailed from Hyderabad.

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Meanwhile, funeral prayer of the deceased was held at police headquarters in Garden, which was attended by Sindh IG Dr Syed Kaleem Imam and other senior officers.

Police claim busting ‘gang of robbers’ Police on Monday claimed to have busted a gang of robbers who had committed at least 10 street crimes, including looting relatives of a Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf lawmaker in the Sindh Assembly, and had triggered fear in residents of Defence and Clifton for the last 45 days. They mostly targeted women in the areas.

―Clifton police arrested two suspects, Suleman Dawood and Haseeb,‖ said area SHO Nadeem Baig.

The suspects were ―involved in snatching cash, purses and mobile phones from females‖, added the officer.

The robbery victims included female relatives of PTI MPA Khurram Sher Zaman and a number of other women.

―This gang of two suspects targeted females and was notorious for creating panic in residents of Clifton and Defence,‖ said Mr Baig. The police claimed to have seized seven snatched mobile phones, Rs2,200 cash, one 30-bore pistol with three live rounds and a motorbike from their custody.

The Clifton SHO said that a held suspect, Haseeb, worked at an industry in and used to commit street crimes while on his way to his home in the Korangi area.

They have ―confessed‖ to having committed at least 10 robberies during the last 45 days in areas of Clifton, Darakhshan and Boat Basin.

―They have been booked in criminal cases and are being further interrogated for their offences.‖ (By The Newspaper's Staff Reporter Dawn, 16, 22/01/2019)

Cops’ killings case: SHC reprimands IG over flaws in investigations

Sindh High Court (SHC) summoned on Wednesday Sindh Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Dr Syed Kaleem Imam and expressed anger over flawed investigation of the attack on a police van in Chakra Goth which had resulted in the deaths of seven policemen.

A three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Ahmed Ali M Shaikh, heard the petition filed by accused, Gul Mohammad, seeking bail in the case.

The counsel for the state, Barrister Mustafa , told the court that the IGP was busy at the Sindh chief minister‘s hous e so senior superintendent of police (SSP) for investigations had appeared on his behalf.

Chief Justice Shaikh refused to hear another official on behalf of the IGP. He expressed annoyance over Dr Imam‘s absence and directed him to appear before the court.

Later, when the IGP appeared before the court, Chief Justice Shaikh asked him how many policemen had been killed in the Chakra Goth incident. Dr Imam said that seven policemen had been killed while 25 others had been injured.

The chief justice questioned as to why witnesses had not appeared on the hearings. ―You [IGP] had assured that witnesses in the case will be produced and a DIG [deputy inspector-general of police] rank official will be assigned to bring witnesses amid security,‖ said the Chief Justice. ―Seven policemen were killed in the incident but police failed to present any evidence,‖ remarked the court.

The chief justice remarked that the case had been pending since 2011. Had the investigation officers (IOs) done their jobs, this delay could have been avoided.

Dr Imam apologised before the court with regards to the absence of witnesses. Court adjourned the hearing till February 20.

On December 18, 2018, the court had granted post-arrest bail to the accused, one of whom is said to be associated with Muttahida Qaumi Movement – Pakistan (MQM-P), and four others in the case. It had accepted bail for Kamran Madhuri and four others against a surety bond of Rs0.5 million each and directed jail authorities to release them if they were not required in any other case. The suspects had approached the SHC after an anti-terrorism court had rejected their bail pleas.

At least seven policemen were killed and several others injured when armed assailants opened fire at a police van in Chakra Goth on August 19, 2019.

Reduced seats SHC granted on Wednesday time till January 29 for the approval of summaries regarding appointment of teachers at Shaheed Medical College, Lyari‘s (SBBMCL). A two-member bench heard the case relating to 50% reduction in seats of SBBMCL.

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Pakistan Medical and Dental College‘s (PMDC) counsel maintained that seats were reduced due to the lack of teachers and other facilities.

Health additional secretary told the court that summaries for the appointments of teachers and other matters have been submitted. The college principal said that the college is two professors and two assistant professors short.

The court granted time till January 29 for the approval of summaries and sought a report on the development work under way at the college. (By Our Correspondent The Express Tribune, 05, 24/01/2019)

Naqeeb and friends were innocent, court affirms

An antiterrorism court has quashed five cases registered against Naqeebullah Mehsud and three others after accepting a police report declaring them innocent.

The ATC-III judge approved the B-class (bogus) report of police in the cases lodged against the four victims by the then SHO of the Shah Latif Town police station Amanullah Marwat for attempted murder and allegedly carrying illicit weapons and ruled that after perusal of the statements of witnesses and forensic reports the cases were found fake.

The police had submitted an investigation report under B-class in five cases. It said that the shoot-out was fake and baseless and the victims were innocent as it was a case of extrajudicial killings and a case was also lodged against the police party for framing the victims in forged cases.

It further stated that the then SHO claimed in the FIR that he along with his team was patrolling the area when they got a tip-off about presence of alleged terrorists of Daesh and Lashkar-i-Jhangvi in a abandoned poultry farm in Usman Goth. They cordoned off the area, but the alleged terrorists opened fire and hurled hand grenades at the police party and were killed in the shoot-out.

The IO further stated in the investigation report that during the inspection of the crime scene no evidence of projectile trajectory was found and empty bullet casings were placed there after the staged shoot-out while there was no impact on the walls of the abandoned house about alleged shoot-out as well as no proof of throwing hand grenades.

The IO also reproduced the findings of a three-member inquiry committee in the investigation report and said that the Jan 13 encounter was prima facie a coordinated fake/staged shoot-out and according to the alleged encounter‘s FIR six police officials were present at the place of the incident while call date record analysis indicated that Rao Anwar and members of his team were also present at the place of the alleged shoot-out or within its vicinity at the time of the incident.

Referring to the inquiry report, the IO further said that the criminal record produced by Rao Anwar against one Naqeebullah before the committee was not of Naseemullah alias Naqeebullah, who was killed in the alleged encounter, adding that since Rao Anwar remained posted in for around six-and-a-half years in different stints, there was extreme fear prevailing among witnesses. They were fearful of their security and afraid to cooperate during inquiry against the police.

The committee also recommended that protection be provided to the witnesses of the case under the Sindh Witness Protection Act, 2013 and suggested that the investigation of the case may be carried out by another team headed by an additional inspector general of police. (By Ishaq Tanoli Dawn, 15, 25/01/2019)

‘Afghan criminals gang’ involved in house robberies busted

Police on Sunday claimed to have busted a gang of robbers allegedly involved in house robberies in several localities of the metropolis.

East Zone SSP Azfar Mahesar in a press conference identified the three arrested suspects as members of an ‗Afghan gang‘.

He said that on January 12, members of this gang entered a home of Shaikh Naeem within the remit of the Ferozabad police station.

After receiving information about the incident, police rushed to the spot, but the suspects escaped, leaving behind their car.

A police team comprising Ferozabad ASP Tariq Nawaz and SHO Aurangzeb Khattak with the help of modern technology, data of the seized vehicle and closed-circuit television footages traced and arrested the three suspects belonging to the ‗Afghan gang of robbers‘.

They were identified as Samiullah, Abdul Mannan and Juma Khan.

The police claimed to have seized gold ornaments worth around Rs500,000, precious wristwatches and other looted valuables from them.

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During the initial probe, the held suspects ‗confessed‘ to having committed house robberies in the Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Ferozabad, Bahadurabad, Aziz Bhatti and New Town areas.

The suspects used mobile SIMs belonging to Afghanistan.

They used to hire car from rent-a-car facility to commit house robberies. They used to enter homes by climbing boundary walls, taking occupants hostage at gunpoint and looted cash, gold and other valuables, said Mr Mahesar.

The police officials expressed the hope that they would soon arrest the remaining three members of the gang.

Private security guards‘ data

Meanwhile, the SSP East in his press conference revealed that the police had compiled data of 3,200 private security guards performing duties at various private places in district East.

This exercise has been done as security guards have been found to be involved in bank robberies and other crimes.

Furthermore, Mr Mahesar said that the police had also collected data of 9,600 CCTVs installed at private places, hospitals and schools in the district east as the police would try to obtain footages from these cameras to ascertain identity of criminals and take them to task.

Moreover, the police have also established four criminal record office rooms in which record of all criminals involved in street and other heinous crimes have been compiled.

The East SSP said that 32 ‗peace committees‘ had also been formed to control crimes with the help of the community.

There were at least 53 ‗guest houses‘ in the district east, which had been linked with a police IT system so that complete data of guests could be obtained.

The officer said in order to eliminate street crimes, the police were focusing on use of modern technology in addition to enhancing capacity building of the police.

Convicted absconder from Balochistan held

The counter-terrorism department (CTD) of police on Sunday claimed to have arrested an absconder, who had been awarded death sentence by a Balochistan court for killing three witnesses to a murder.

Acting on a tip-off, the CTD arrested Ali Akbar, alias Zafarullah, in the city, said CTD SSP Murtaza Bhutto.

The police claimed to have seized Kalashnikov and hand grenade from him.

The convict had ‗confessed‘ killing six persons in Balochistan, the police said.

In the year 2004, he murdered a man, Usman Umrani, in Qalat city over some personal enmity.

Later on, he gunned down three witnesses to the said murder.

He was arrested and the local court in Balochistan sentenced him to death for killing the three witnesses, revealed the officer.

Apart from these murders, convict Ali Akbar also killed two citizens, Mohammed Umer and Sardar Hub Khan Umrani in 2005.

After fulfilling legal formalities, the arrested convict would be handed over to the Balochistan government. (By Imtiaz Ali Dawn, 13, 28/01/2019)

Irrelevant complaints flood Karachi Police's Whatsapp helpline

Due to a lack of awareness of civic responsibility, even the best efforts to facilitate citizens can go to waste. The Karachi Police‘s Whatsapp helpline, which aimed to address citizens‘ complaints is a good example.

The police Whatsapp helpline number, 0343-5142770, was launched by the Karachi Police at the end of last year. Directly under the supervision of Additional Inspector-General Dr Amir Ahmed Sheikh, it was created so that immediate action could be taken to resolve citizens‘ complaints.

The helpline receives thousands of complaints a month, but an analysis of the last one and a half months shows that out of around 9,000 messages, only 342 complaints were genuine and were grounded in concrete issues.

Track record In December 2018, 6,663 messages were received on the helpline number. Of these, only 203 were found to be genuine complaints when investigated. The remaining 6,460 messages contained odd and irrelevant issues.

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Some people shared the municipality issues in their areas and some complained about the unavailability of utilities. Besides, there were also messages by people sharing their admiration of the police.

Out of the 203 genuine complaints received, 126 messages were complaints against other citizens based on personal disputes, business rivalries and others.

The remaining 77 messages were complaints against the disrespectful behaviour of the police who had refused to file cases and rarely patrolled their areas.

Cases have been filed against 26 of these complaints while inquiries for the rest are under way. Further investigation will be carried out based on the inquiry reports. Already, the inquiries have proven 18 complaints to be bogus.

Similarly, during the first half of January, 2,475 messages were received on the Whatsapp helpline of which, 2,336 were miscellaneous and did not require any inquiry. A total of 47 messages were complaints against uncooperative police personnel while 92 messages were complaints against other citizens.

Of the latter, five proved to be false. Cases were filed for eight complaints, some of which were against police officials who had refused to file cases.

IG steps up Following the Karachi Police, the Sindh Police chief IGP Dr Kaleem Imam had also asked citizens to report any complaints against police personnel. The move, he claimed, was aimed at improving the service delivery and image of his department.

In a post on the Sindh Police‘s official social media accounts, he asked citizens to call the IG Complaint Cell Helpline 9110 or WhatsApp their complaints to 0300-002-1881 if any police personnel refused to register their FIR or if their registered cases were not being investigated properly.

At the time, Dr Imam had also requested citizens to inform him if the police had illegally arrested anyone or if a police official had demanded a bribe.

Police plea Karachi Police spokesperson said that the Whatsapp helpline number was issued for the convenience of the citizens so that they could report their problems without any fear or difficulty.

However, these irrelevant and unnecessary messages not only waste the time and energy of the police, but also detract attention from the actual problems and issues, he added. He appealed to the citizens to avoid sending irrelevant messages on the helpline. (By Raheel Salman The Express Tribune, 04, 28/01/2019)

Call for implementing right to information act

Speakers at a consultative workshop held on Tuesday at a local hotel expressed concern over delay in proper implementation of the Sindh Transparency and Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2016, and said that it was necessary to ensure transparency in good governance.

The workshop titled ‗Improving public service delivery through RTI‘ was organised by Shehri-Citizens for a Better Environment.

The event began with a welcome address by Amra Javed, member Shehri, who informed the participants about the workshop‘s aims and objectives.

She highlighted the active role her organisation had played in trying to facilitate good governance by advocating transparency in government functioning, and an informed and proactive role of the citizenry in seeking protection of their fundamental rights as enshrined in the Constitution and legislations of all state institutions.

Amber Alibhai, general secretary, Shehri, said that improvement in public service delivery and development of citizen-centric government models had been one of the top priorities of various countries across the globe.

―Globalisation, localisation, and the information revolution are empowering citizens to become good informed citizens. The right to information is one such effective tool, now accepted all over the world,‖ she noted.

The right to information laws, in her opinion, not only required governments to provide information upon request, they also imposed a duty on public bodies to actively disclose, disseminate and publish, as widely as possible, information of general public interest even before it had been requested, ie proactive disclosure of information.

Departments could lessen their load if they proactively disclose information about their activities, budgets, programmes, etc, she added.

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Sameer Hamid Dodhy, member Shehri-CBE, gave a detailed presentation on The Sindh Transparency and Right to Information Act, 2016. He explained the applicability of the act, in terms of which type of information could be asked to be shared and what type of information and record was exempted from disclosure.

―As per Article 8(3) of The Sindh Transparency and Right to Information Act, 2016‖, the designated official has to respond within 15 working days. One of the best features of this act is the provision for ―proactive disclosure‖, which calls upon departments to disclose information on their websites and through other mediums, he said.

He, however, regretted that despite the passage of almost 21 months, hardly a few public bodies/departments had nominated a ―designated officer‖ to provide information, requested under the act. He said that the Sindh Information Commission was established in May 2018, but to date citizens could not send their RTI appeal.

An interactive question-answer session with the participants on RTI filing requests on subjects of their interest was conducted at the end and the participants realised that enforcement of Article 19-A was essential to bring transparency in governance system.

Salika Enver presented the vote of thanks and expressed confidence that the seminar participants would now start using their rights as sovereign citizens of Pakistan granted under this legislation. (By The Newspaper's Staff Reporter Dawn, 16, 30/01/2019)

Safoora Goth carnage: Four accused aquitted over lack of evidence

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) acquitted on Tuesday four persons, who were accused in the carnage case for facilitating terrorism.

The court announced its verdict after the police failed to provide any evidence against the accused, Zahid Motiwala, Sultan Qamar Siddiqui, Hussain Umar and Sajid Naeem. The court declared that the supplementary challan submitted by the police in March 2018, was in contradiction with facts and contained many mistakes.

The court also remarked that after reviewing the case, it found that no case could be made against the accused.

A military court had conducted the trial and awarded capital punishment to convicts, Saad Aziz, Tahir Minhas, Azhar Ishrat, Hafiz Nasir and Asadur Rehman in Safoora Goth carnage and other cases of terrorism.

The court remarked that Zahid Motiwala was an arms dealer and had sold the weapons to those who had valid licences.

It also observed that if a person uses the weapon for an illegal purpose, how can the dealer be responsible for it.

The police stated that military court had awarded the death sentence and other punishments to nine key accused of the carnage.

At least 45 people were killed when six terrorists targeted a bus carrying 60 members of the Ismaili community in May 2015. (By Our Correspondent The Express Tribune, 04, 30/01/2019)

Security guard, accomplices clean out bank branch in DHA

A private security guard posted at a bank branch in the Defence Housing Authority with at least two accomplices broke open lockers apparently in the middle of the night, collected cash and other valuables worth more than Rs6 million and escaped early on Tuesday morning, officials said.

They said the bank guard deputed at the branch for last over six months executed the job with his two or more accomplices in the middle of the night when he first allowed them entry and then helped them break open the lockers of the branch located at B Market, Phase I, in DHA.

―The security guard has been identified as Manzur Mastung,‖ said SSP for investigations Tariq Dharejo. ―We are not sure about the number of his aides, but there would have been at least two who helped him. The branch is set up on the ground and mezzanine floors of a building. Initial findings suggest that they first broke open the lockers at the ground floor of the bank to collect Rs6.5m, including foreign currency, and then moved to the mezzanine floor, where the lockers contained valuables, including jewellery and documents.‖

The police findings suggested that the security guard planned the job well and had all key information of the branch. To break open the lockers, the officials said the robbers used gas cutters and managed to break 22 of them.

‘TTP commander held, major terror activity foiled’

―We have collected the initial information about the security guard, who originally hailed from Rahim Yar Khan,‖ said SSP Dharejo. ―The security guard was deputed only for night-shift duties and replaced by his colleagues in the morning. However, he was well aware of the security system of the branch and before executing the job, he disconnected the CCTV [closed-circuit television] cameras installed in and outside the branch for surveillance.‖

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Meanwhile, Sindh IG Dr Syed Kaleem Imam, taking notice of the incident, issued directives for an immediate inquiry and recovery of the looted money and valuables with the arrest of the suspects.

‘TTP commander’ held A ‗commander‘ of the banned Tehreek-i- Pakistan was arrested by the Counter-Terrorism Department, who was planning a ―major terror activity‖ in the city, said a senior police official on Tuesday.

DIG Abdullah Shaikh told a press conference at his office that the arrested commander was identified as Rehman, alias Ustad Jee, after a raid on one of his Karachi hideouts. The suspected militant, trained in Afghanistan, he said, was associated with the TTP Swat‘s Fazlullah group.

―He was appointed commander after the killing of commander Sher Bahadur,‖ he said. ―His name is also placed [in] the Red Book of Sindh. He took a house on rent in , where he was planning a major terror activity. We have also recovered explosive material and gadgets used in making a bomb while a remote control, a hand grenade and a pistol were also seized from him.‖

Fugitive arrested Meanwhile, the , Sindh, claimed to have arrested an undertrial suspect who had escaped from the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) earlier this month. A spokesman for the paramilitary force said that the wanted suspect, with two accomplices, was arrested after a raid in a Korangi area.

He said that key suspect Javed Akhtar was arrested with his two accomplices Irfan Pathan and Abdul Sattar.

Javed Akhtar was admitted to the JPMC under police custody, where he fled after snatching a police weapon with the help of his wife. The Rangers also seized a .9mm pistol, a 30-bore pistol, a snatched SMG, three hand grenades, different types of rounds, six mobile phones, 11 SIM cards, seven memory cards, four USBs and a car from their possession. (By Imran Ayub Dawn, 15, 30/01/2019)

Police see new underworld group behind recent targeted killings in Karachi

Police investigations into some recent incidents of targeted killings in the city in recent weeks have traced the involvement of a new ―underworld criminal group‖ being run by notorious Lyari gangsters who managed to flee abroad following the launch of Karachi operation in 2013, it emerged on Wednesday.

Officials found that the random murders of five people — former Muttahida Qaumi Movement lawmaker Ali Raza Abidi, a young resident of , a traffic policeman and two brothers of Korangi — were actually connected as the killers used two similar weapons — .30-bore pistols — to target them.

Senior counterterrorism official Raja Umar Khattab told Dawn that the killings of Ali Raza Abidi in Defence on Dec 25, 2018 and a young man of Liaquatabad were totally different cases but a forensic examination of the spent bullet casings found at the two crime scenes showed that they were killed by the same weapon (.30-bore).

Likewise, traffic policeman Ehtisham Ahmed and two Ahmadi brothers, Zafarullah and Nasrullah, were murdered with the same weapon, also a .30-bore pistol, in Soldier Bazaar and Korangi areas, respectively.

Use of .30-bore pistol increases in crimes in city

Mr Khattab, the officer in charge of the Counter-Terrorism Department‘s Transnational Terrorism Intelligence Group, said that those who killed the MQM leader and the Liaquatabad resident had links with two key Lyari gang characters, Ustad Taju and Wasiullah Lakho, who were nowadays hiding in South Africa and , respectively.

Killers for hire However, he said that members of the new underworld gang ―may belong to a political party, Lyari gang war and other criminal groups based in South Africa‖.

He said that the new gang was also involved in street crimes, robberies, etc, but it appeared that they were also carrying out ―contract killings‖.

The official said two weeks before the murder of MQM leader Abidi, unidentified men shot dead Ehtisham, the Liaquatabad resident. The spent bullet casings collected from the scene were sent for a forensic analysis. When Abidi was killed on Dec 25, 2018 the spent bullet casings were also collected. Their forensic analysis revealed that the same weapon was also used in the Liaquatabad killing.

Giving details about the Liaquatabad incident, he said that investigations revealed that although Ehtisham was killed on Dec 10, 2018 by unknown persons, the murder was orchestrated by Irfan alias Motan, who is said to be a close aide of Ustad Taju.

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The official said that Irfan had remained associated with Lyari gangsters as he used to collect extortion from a gambling den in Ghaas Mandi. He shifted to and later to , from where he was arrested and deported to Pakistan. He moved from Lyari to Liaquatabad and started living in an apartment complex, where Ehtisham also lived.

As Irfan‘s wife befriended Ehtisham, Irfan on multiple occasions threatened the latter with dire consequences through his several accomplices if he did not ―stay away‖ from his wife. However, Ehtisham did not budge and was subsequently killed.

He said that suspects who were sent to threaten Ehtisham belonged to -speaking, Baloch and Pakhtun communities.

―Four to five minutes after his killing, Irfan phoned his wife and told her to go see the body [of Ehtisham],‖ the CTD official said.

He said that Irfan fled to Punjab first and lived in at the house of Ustad Taju‘s nephew. Later, he fled to Iran from where he recently sent a video to inform his mother that he was abroad and safe. He was sitting besides another Lyari gang war character, Wasiullah Lakho, who also fled to Iran after the launching of Karachi operation in 2013, Mr Khattab added.

The CTD official said that Taju, who now lives in South Africa, was a known character of Lyari gang warfare and he remained active since Rehman Dakait‘s time.

Sectarian factor About remaining three murders, the CTD official said that the murder of traffic constable Ahmed, who was shot dead in Soldier Bazaar on Jan 21, and two shopkeeper brothers, earlier thought to be gunned down by ―robbers‖ in Korangi on Aug 24, 2018, were totally different but the forensic examination of spent bullet casings showed that the same weapon (.30-bore) was used in the killings.

He said that it transpired during investigation that both the brothers belonged to Ahmadi community and may have targeted because of their faith.

The traffic policeman belonged to the school of thought and investigators also suspected that he was targeted because of his faith.

Law enforcers had arrested two suspects, Javed Akhtar and Rashid, for their alleged involvement in the murder of the two brothers. However, they failed to recover the murder weapon from them. The same weapon was used in the killing of the traffic constable in Soldier Bazaar on Jan 21 — around 11 days after suspect Akhtar managed to escape from a hospital where he was being treated (Akhtar was finally arrested again two days ago).

Mr Khattab said that he grilled the second suspect, Rashid, in prison, and he told him that he had joined a criminal group around six months ago and that Akhtar‘s four other accomplices were ―hardened criminals‖ and still at large.

He said Akhtar had remained ―active‖ in religious activities and sported a long beard. One of his accomplices was also a member of a mainstream religious party.

Mr Khattab said that it was not unusual that the criminals involved in street crimes, robberies, etc, also carried out contract killings.

Citing an example, he said that a group, led by gangster Shahid Bikik of Khamosh Colony, was also involved in targeted killings, sectarian murders, etc. The Bikik-led gang was also involved in killing of Inspector Ghazanfar Kazmi.

Another such group, the CTD official said, was led by Huzaifa, a member of a banned sectarian outfit who has been arrested and sentenced to death by a court. His gang not only committed robberies but also carried out targeted killings on sectarian grounds, he added.

Use of .30-bore pistol increases The CTD official said that the use of TT pistol (.30-bore pistol) had increased manifold in all types of crimes compared to 9mm pistol which was previously used in targeted killings, etc.

Police crime data showed that .30-bore pistol was used in only one criminal incident in 2015. The same weapon was used in three criminal cases, including one murder, in 2016 and two criminal cases in 2017.

However, the crime data revealed that .30-bore or TT pistol was used in 24 criminal cases in 2018 including eight murders and 11 attempted murder cases.

The .30-bore pistols were also used in recent murder of a KDA official in Ferozabad, killing of a shopkeeper in Korangi and of a police constable in North Karachi.

It indicated the possibility that criminals had again started using TT pistol in targeted killings, believed Mr Khattab. (By Imtiaz Ali Dawn, 15, 31/01/2019)

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Sindh High Court censures NAB’s performance

The Sindh High Court (SHC) expressed annoyance with the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) over its performanc e, especially the delays in completing inquiries and investigations and finalising references in corruption cases. A two-member bench, comprising Chief Justice (CJ) Ahmed Ali Sheikh and Justice Omar Sial, was hearing the bail pleas of Karachi Development Authority (KDA) director-general (DG) and others, who are accused in the case of -cutting.

The CJ remarked that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) officials were not telling the court about those who suffered losses by the sale of the plots. Justice Sheikh mocked the officials that according to them, despite all graveyards of the city being occupied, no loss had been caused to anyone. The construction of the plazas on amenity plots had also not caused any loss to the country nor had the devoured parks and sports grounds, he said. If it was in the NAB officials‘ hands, there would be no loss even if anyone gets killed because of this. The CJ expressed annoyance that even the coastal belt and Karachi Port Trust (KPT)‘s lands have been sold out after being occupied.

Accused‘s counsel Advocate Amir Naqvi argued that Nasir Abbas had been imprisoned for about a year. He was arrested by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) first, and then NAB. Court said that no one who was brought here had any charges, they were only innocent people. The court inquired how many references had been filed against the accused and how many accused had been nominated in each reference. NAB Prosecutor responded that three references had been filed against Nasir Abbas. Court remarked that separate bail pleas would have to be filed in each reference.

Advocate Naqvi argued that Nasir Abbas hadn‘t committed any crime and hadn‘t caused any loss to anyone after the plot was leased. He was arrested without inquiry and that NAB didn‘t have any evidence against him, maintained Naqvi. NAB prosecutor said, however, that there was enough evidence against Nasir Abbas. The investigation officer informed the court that Nasir Abbas was involved in the commercialising of plots and his signatures as the director-general were there on the documents. Plots were retrieved through the cancellation of their allotment. Court sought further arguments from the counsels of accused on February 7.

Deadline for inquiry The same bench ordered the NAB investigation officer to submit a report after completing the inquiry against a citizen, Ghulam Shabbir Sheikh, in 15 days.

The investigation officer Jawad Ahsan appeared before the court on judicial orders. The CJ had told the NAB DG to ensure the presence of the investigation officer in court. Court inquired the from investigation officer about the progress of the inquiry , to which the officer said that the inquiry had been started in 2017 and was now in its final stages. Details of Sheikh‘s assets had been gathered, he added. The court ordered the investigation officer to submit a report after completing the inquiry in 15 days.

Illegal appointments The same bench sought a detailed progress report on Thursday from NAB on the inquiry related to the appointments in Sindh Small Industries Corporation on February 21.

The bail pleas of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM)‘s former MPA Rauf Siddiqui, Sindh Small Industries Corporation employees Ghulam Nabi, Umar Bakhs, and others were heard by the bench in which Rauf Siddiqui appeared in court. The investigation officer said that the matter related to the completion of inquiry had been forwarded to the NAB chairman. The c ourt sought another progress report on March 7. School vans

The SHC summoned the transport secretary along with his policy regarding the accidents occurring in school vans and public transport on February 14. The two-member bench, comprising Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Justice KK Agha, remarked that the school van owners did not care about anything. They don‘t do anything in order to secure the lives of the children, said the bench.

The court expressed annoyance over the absence of safety measures in school vans. The counsel for Transport Department argued that the use of CNG cylinders was completely banned in school vans and inter-city buses.

Justice Mazhar remarked that the CNG pumps should be restrained through Oil & Gas Regulatory Authority that they shouldn‘t refill CNG in such vehicles. School van owners don‘t do anything in order to secure the lives of children. Court inquired that who issues the fitness certificates to such vehicles. Notices are issued which only get printed in the newspapers but who will ta ke the responsibility to implement them.

According to the report of West Traffic SSP, CNG cylinders from around 1,863 vehicles had been removed. Justice Mazhar remarked that new laws should be made now and new mechanisms should be designed.

Contempt plea A special bench, comprising Justice Muhammad Iqbal Kalhoro and Justice KK Agha, has been formed to hear the contempt of court plea against officials over non-submission of Joint Investigation Team reports.

According to the details, a special bench has been formed for the ad hoc investigations of the May 12 incident. The special bench will hear the contempt of court plea against the Chief Secretary and others on February 9.

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The contempt of court plea had been filed against Chief Secretary, Home Secretary and Sindh inspector-general. Petitioner Iqbal Kazmi argued that the SHC ordered to submit the JIT report in two weeks. It has been 20 weeks now but the court hadn‘t been informed about what progress had been made. Not submitting the JIT report was clear contempt of court. Therefore, contempt of court action should be taken against Chief Secretary and others, said the petition filed. (By Our Correspondent The Express Tribune, 04, 01/02/2019)

Bribery and crime rate

A senior officer of the Sindh police believes that the crime rate will automatically fall if policemen stop seeking bribes. Additional Inspector General (AIG) Crime Branch Waliullah Dil has told intelligence officials at a workshop that being a cop does not mean one can take bribe. According to the AIG, the intelligence police are not meant to provide security — even if they are obligated to do so — but to investigate, survey and gather information about crimes.

Corruption in our country is deep-rooted and has often been cited as one of the biggest evils that acts as an enabler of criminal activity. As also mentioned by AIG Dil, police officials in Pakistan are notorious for looking the other way over minor infractions if their palms are greased. Even if some of them try to avoid it initially, they finally fall to the temptation on being offered more. Some officers admit privately they use corruption and allow a base level of petty crime as a means to control the incidence of larger, organised crime. That, though, is another debate.

But what will happen if a police officer refuses to take a bribe? Will that automatically curb crime? The answer is not simpl e. More than just getting police officers to stop taking bribes, a will has to be developed to enforce the law. When police officers and society at large are taught to accept supremacy of the law and to apply it equally to all, it will not only curb the mena ce of corruption — which is more pervasive than just taking bribes — but also lower the rate of crime. There is need to adopt a holistic approach whereby a system of checks and balances within the police force is devised for eliminating all that ails the police force, and not just the rampant practice of bribery. (By Editorial The Express Tribune, 16, 02/02/2019)

Charge sheet amended in May 12 carnage case

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Saturday issued an amendment indictment against Karachi Mayor Wasim Akhtar and other accused in the May 12, 2007 carnage case.

Akhtar and others appeared before the court. An amended charge-sheet was presented by police framing new charges against the accused. Akhtar, Umair Siddiqui and other accused denied charges and pleaded innocence.

The court also indicted absconding persons in the case including Abdul Zahid and issued non-bailable arrest warrants of 17 other accused in the case. Zahid had already filed a bail plea before ATC. His lawyer had also furnished arguments to seek release of his client.

The court also sought an updated report regarding the arrest of proclaimed offenders and adjourned hearing till March 2.

At the previous hearing on January 19, ATC had expressed displeasure over Akhtar‘s failure to appear before the court in four cases pertaining to May 12, 2007 violent incidents.

On May 12, 2007 at least 50 people were killed and over 100 wounded in attacks on rallies of different political parties and the legal fraternity, who had attempted to receive the then deposed chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry at Karachi airport ahead of a lawyers‘ gathering. The former CJP Chaudhry was forced to fly back to Islamabad after nine hours of being restricted to the airport.

TLP men remanded The administrative judge of the ATCs sent on Saturday 39 members of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) on judicial remand. The 39 accused were presented before the court where they kept reciting naats throughout the hearing.

They were presented before the court by New Town and Artillery Ground police. According to the police, the accused were charged with cases of vandalism, spreading terror and damaging a police vehicle while attacking it.

Names of the 39 TLP members were called out to mark their presence in court and the accused responded to each call with ‗Labaik‘. The court sent the accused on judicial remand and sought a case chalan from the investigation officer in fourteen days.

Hate speech A special ATC sought on Saturday the petitioner and complainant in two cases pertaining to hate speech.

Muttahida Quami Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) leaders Dr and Khawaja Izharul Hassan appeared before the court while Karachi Mayor Wasim Akhtar and MQM-P Senior Deputy Convenor Aamir Khan had filed a plea for exemption from the court which was accepted by the court.

The court directed the investigation officer (IO) to present the petitioner and complainant of the cases on the next hearing. According to the police, the cases were filed on behalf of Gul Khan and Hashim Khan.

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Court adjourned hearing till March 2 and sought a detailed report after investigation. (By Our Correspondent The Express Tribune, 05, 03/02/2019)

Wounded youth dies in police custody

A young man held by police in an injured condition following a shootout two days ago died under controversial circumstances on Saturday.

Bilal, 21, was arrested by the Taimuria police in an alleged encounter late on Thursday night after he suffered bullet wounds in the leg.

Police surgeon Aijaz Khokhar told Dawn that the wounded youth was first brought by the police to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital and they took him back after initial medical treatment.

However, he was brought to the hospital again late on Friday night as his condition deteriorated during police custody. He said the young man later died.

Karachi police chief Dr Amir Ahmed Shaikh took notice of the incident and order an inquiry to ascertain the circumstances which led to his death. (By The Newspaper's Staff Reporter Dawn, 15, 03/02/2019)

Plan to collect details of policemen addicted to gutka in Karachi

Although the police continue their action against production, sale and purchase of gutka and other substandard chewable tobacco- based items across Sindh, authorities at the helm of affairs have found that a significant part of their own force is addicted to the injurious substances.

This has forced them to go for collecting details about the exact number of such ―addicted‖ law-enforcers at least in Karachi before devising a plan to handle the situation, officials said on Saturday.

During background conversations with Dawn, senior officials in all seven districts of the Karachi police‘s organisational structure conceded that a large number of their men were involved in the unhealthy activity.

Also, those who underwent commando training have similarly been found to be involved in consuming the injurious substance even during duty hours.

The Sindh police formally launched a campaign against sale and production of gutka and other substandard chewable tobacco- based products across the province and seized more than one tonne of the hazardous items in a month. The action is still going on with the same spirit leading to the arrests of hundreds of gutka producers and sellers in the province.

A senior police officer admits that many cops consume harmful tobacco-based item

―A majority of those arrested in Karachi are those selling such products despite a government ban,‖ said an official. ―They have been booked in cases under Sections 269 [negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life] and 270 [malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life] of the Pakistan Penal Code. It‘s a bailable offense.‖

But despite fighting the menace for over two years, chasing sellers, seizing huge quantities of injurious substances and busting dozens of production facilities to establish the writ of the state, policemen themselves have largely been involved in consuming gutka and other related products.

―It‘s a fact that a good number of people in our force are using such products,‖ said Additional Inspector General, Karachi Dr Amir Sheikh. ―We have even notified and issued warnings against the use of such products at least during duty hours but obviously it‘s not [being] followed in spirit. To tackle this issue, we are planning to conduct a survey, or carry out a kind of analysis or study, to determine the number of addicted people and devise measures to tackle that.‖

Health experts have expressed serious concerns over the growing use of hazardous products across the province and warn that the situation is so alarming that it has become a prime source of oral cancer among males. They also question the half-hearted efforts of the authorities to ban this lucrative business.

―The juice of betel nuts [a key ingredient of gutka] is carcinogenic,‖ said prominent ENT specialist Dr Qaiser Sajjad, who is also the secretary general of the Pakistan Medical Association. ―We have proposed so many times about a complete and effective ban on all such products but it‘s quite unfortunate that whenever there is a campaign against such business it thrives in black market and only increases the prices of these products. There is a need for comprehensive and solid measures to ban it once and for all.‖ (By Imran Ayub Dawn, 15, 03/02/2019)

IGP told to set up cells at district level to investigate ‘A-class’ cases

The Sindh High Court on Wednesday directed the inspector general of police to set up investigation cells at district level to separately deal with cases declared ‗A-class‘ and pending in courts across the province.

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Expressing concerns over glaring contradictions in the data submitted by police, prosecution department and subordinate judiciary regarding the ‗A-class‘ cases — cases in which accused persons are unknown or untraceable — pending in Sindh, the SHC also directed the district courts and the member of its inspection team (MIT) to maintain the record of such cases and sought a report by Feb 26.

A single bench headed by Justice Salahuddin Panhwar also asked judicial magistrates to fix all the ‗A-class‘ cases fortnightly in the cause lists and put the victims/complainants and investigating officer (IOs) on notice.

It also ordered the Karachi police chief to file a report about ‗A-class‘ cases on the next hearing and also called details of such cases from the special investigation units of police including the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD), Special Investigation Unit (SIU) and Anti-Violent Crime Cell (AVCC).

A report filed by the office of the prosecutor general says 88,211 ‘A-class’ cases pending in Sindh

The bench also asked the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) to cooperate with police in providing necessary and required information in every criminal case.

On Jan 24, the bench had called reports from the police, prosecution department and judicial magistrates regarding the details of the ‗A-class‘ cases pending in the province.

Police, PG office, judges differ on ‘A-class’ cases’ numbers When the matter came up for hearing on Wednesday, a report submitted by an assistant inspector general of police (legal-II) stated that around 54,400 ‗A-class‘ cases were pending in Sindh.

However, another report filed by the prosecutor general‘s office stated that 88,211 such cases were pending in the province. And reports filed from some district judges said that 46,000 ‗A-class‘ cases have been pending in three districts of Karachi.

The bench observed that it was unable to appreciate the serious contradictions in the statistics because all of these were supposed to be strongly linked in maintaining the record of every summary report submitted under the ‗A-class‘ in the courts of magistrates by the police.

It added that if the IOs and the magisterial courts had been maintaining the record rightly then there would have been no difference in the number of such cases.

The bench deplored that both sides had not maintained proper record of such cases.

It appeared that the police had no record of such cases and their monitoring since the AIGP-legal was unable to assist the court and conceded that he had not visited the website supposed to be created by police to flash details of such cases as per the direction issued in a 2016 SHC judgement in Nasrullah‘s case.

Besides, he was also unaware of its present status, it added.

579 officials working in investigation section in Karachi Another police official informed the bench that at present, only 579 police officers from ASIs to were working in the investigation section of police in Karachi region. He added that the recruitments were being made in the investigation section as well as in the CTD.

The bench directed the DIG (establishment) to submit a detailed report in this regard on the next hearing.

The bench was further informed that as per its earlier directive, the IGP had nominated an SSP as the focal person to provide assistance to the prosecutor general‘s office with regard to ‗A-class‘ cases.

Previously, the bench had asked top officials of police and prosecution to divulge a 2016 judgement (Nasrullah verses SHO) of the SHC regarding ‗A-class‘ reports to their departments and file complete record of last 10 years. It also directed the MIT to call reports in this regard from judicial magistrates.

These directions had come during the hearing of an application in which the applicant submitted that he had lodged an FIR at the Ferozabad police station, but police failed to arrest the accused and filed an ‗A-class‘ report.

He added that after getting some information about the accused he approached the district and sessions court concerned for reinvestigation, but the plea was dismissed on the ground that the order passed by a magistrate on the police report was not amendable. (By Ishaq Tanoli Dawn, 15, 07/02/2019)

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Withdrawing cases

GOVERNMENTS have a wrong notion about their power to withdraw a criminal case pending in a court of law. The power was given in the Criminal Procedure Code enacted by a colonial government in 1898. It was retained in the code revised in in 1973 with a few changes.

Section 321 empowers the public prosecutor in charge of a case ―to withdraw from the prosecution of any person‖ before the judgement is pronounced. But it is subject to a condition laid down in the code itself. The withdrawal must be ―with the consent of the court‖.

This condition itself implies that it is the duty of the court to see that the withdrawal is to meet the ends of justice and not for an improper reason, for example, political expediency. Section 321 advisedly confers the power on the public prosecutor and not the state government, as many other provisions of the code do. There is good reason for this. It is to emphasise that the discretion belongs entirely to the public prosecutor, as a lawyer who is an officer of the court.

The code provides for the appointment of a public prosecutor by the state or central government ―after consultation with the high court‖. The only qualification prescribed is practice as an advocate for not less than seven years. There is no security of tenure. Their salaries are low. How many or how few can resist the command of the politician in power as home minister or chief minister? How many or how few can resist the command of the politician in power?

The supreme court laid down the law in a series of cases on the independence of the prosecutor. He must apply an independent mind. He acts as a limb of the judiciary, not the executive. But the newspapers tell a different story. Cases are withdrawn on the change of government.

What was reported on Jan 28 is typical of the actual practice. ―The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to withdraw 18 cases related to the Muzaffarnagar riots and asked the district authorities to approach the court. UP‘s special secretary of law J.J. Singh has directed Muzaffarnagar district magistrate ... to withdraw the cases.‖

On this directive from Lucknow, the district authorities began to prepare themselves to ask the court for permission to withdraw the cases. The cases were filed under sections concerned of the Indian Penal Code including 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon) and 397 (attempt to cause death).

The instructions came after the state government sought details of 125 cases linked to the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots. Additional district magistrate Amit Kumar said that the state government had wanted more information to review the possibility of withdrawing the 125 cases in courts.

Several leaders of the ruling BJP, were named in these 125 cases. Communal clashes in Muzaffarnagar and the adjoining areas in the second half of 2013 had claimed 60 lives and displaced more than 40,000 people most of them Muslim, needless to add. The state government is headed by one Yogi Adityanath.

The newspapers of Feb 5 reported how the process began from the executive. A note was prepared by the special secretary and undersecretary and sent directly to the district magistrate a week earlier. It concerned 38 criminal cases involving 100 accused. They were charged with dacoity, use of fire and explosive substances, defiling of ―place of worship‖ (read, mosques) and outraging religious feelings.

To clinch the issue, it is reported that it was the state government that first gave its sanction on Jan 10. The officers‘ note followed on Jan 29. BJP MPs were pressing the Yogi for the withdrawal. That the governor, Ram Naik, consented is as irrelevant as it is revealing. He is a rabid communalist. The consent is neither for him nor the Yogi chief minister to give. The decision belongs in law exclusively to the public prosecutor.

The law is based on English law which confers discretion on the attorney general. The first Labour government fell in 1924 because it withdrew a prosecution for political reasons. The attorney general was the legendary Sir Patrick Hastings one of the foremost advocates of the day. But he was a political novice, as most lawyers are with ambition exceeding capacity.

As attorney general, Sir Patrick had authorised the prosecution of J.R. Campbell, acting editor of a communist weekly for seducing the ―armed forces from their allegiance to the Crown‖. Some days later, the prosecution was withdrawn giving rise to suspicion of political influence.

A cabinet recorded a decision of Aug 6, 1924. It read: ―[N]o public prosecution of a political character should be undertaken without the prior sanction of the cabinet also being obtained.‖ The cabinet endorsed Sir Patrick‘s decision. In 1931, the minute was rescinded. The law was set right: In India it awaits that. (By A.G. Noorani Dawn, 09, 09/02/2019)

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Protesters want UC nazim, police officers booked over JST leader’s murder

Relatives and activists of the Jeay Sindh Tehreek on Friday held a protest demonstration outside the against the killing of the JST‘s Karachi president by a union council chairman on Feb 6 on the National Highway in the Shah Latif Town police limits.

The UC chairman had claimed that in ―self-defence‖ he gunned down the suspected robber, later on identified as Irshad Ranjhani in his 30s, who with his accomplices had tried to rob him near Bhains Colony Mor on Feb 6. But activists and the victim‘s relatives said that Irshad Ranjhani was an ―innocent‖ person.

Khalid Ranjhani told Dawn that his brother was ―kidnapped‖ and later gunned down as his mobile phone had remained switched off since Sunday when he left his home in Dadu for Karachi. He said they suspected ―some conspiracy‖ behind the murder of his brother, but he did not elaborate it.

DIG backs claim that the victim tried to rob the nazim at gunpoint

He said after Soyem of his brother, they would approach the judiciary for a ―judicial inquiry into the kidnapping and murder‖.

‗10‘ bullet wounds on body

Khalid said he himself gave ‗ghusl‘ (bath) to his dead brother and there were 10 bullet wounds on the body, including five on the face.

Aftab Shah, a JST worker protesting outside the KPC, told Dawn that the deceased was their party‘s Karachi president. He had come back from Dubai recently and visited his family in .

The JST activist alleged that the victim had sustained two bullet wounds and was profusely bleeding on the highway and later on the Shah Latif police took him to the police station, where they allegedly pumped eight more bullets into his body.

The dead man was taken to his native place for burial.

The protesters demanded registration of a murder case against UC Bhains Colony chairman Abdul Raheem Shah, the Shah Latif SHO and Bin Qasim DSP.

Police version DIG-East Amir Farooqi told Dawn that ―preliminary findings indicate that the UC (Bhains Colony) nazim (Abdul Raheem Shah) withdrew cash from a bank‖. Two men riding a motorbike intercepted him near Bhains Colony Mor on the National Highway.

―They showed a pistol and demanded the cash. The UC nazim says he fired at the man from inside the car in self-defence,‖ added Mr Farooqi while sharing findings of the preliminary report.

The other persons accompanying the killed suspect ran away on motorbikes.

The senior officer pointed out that ―there are witnesses to the whole incident as it happened on the main road and during broad daylight.‖

―We are checking if the deceased had a criminal record or not,‖ he added.

The police denied the charges of the protesters that he was taken to the police station instead of the hospital.

―I am told that police called the ambulance which took him to hospital,‖ said the DIG.

UC chairman‘s version According to the FIR (90/2019), the UC chairman drew Rs1m from a bank at Nursery and was on his way to his home with his son in a car when four suspects riding two motorbikes tried to intercept their car near Bhains Colony Mor. As his son, Hasan Ali accelerated the speed of the vehicle, the suspects resorted to firing.

―When we stopped the car as another vehicle came in front of us, two armed men came to a side of the car and demanded cash from me,‖ said the UC chairman in his statement before the police.

―I took out my 9mm pistol and opened fire on them. The suspects also retaliated and one suspect was injured while his accomplices managed to escape resorting to aerial firing.‖

The complainant claimed that police inspector Riaz Husain took a 9mm pistol from the right hand of the injured man and took him to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre in an ambulance. (By Imtiaz Ali Dawn, 15, 09/02/2019)

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Yemen-based entity put on list of banned organisations

The first addition in the list of proscribed organisations made by the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government has taken the total number of banned outfits to 67.

The latest addition to the list is Yemen-based Al-Rahmah Welfare Trust Organisation (ARWTO) and the reason for its placement on the list of terrorist outfits is said to be its links with Al Qaeda.

A federal minister when contacted told Dawn that ARWTO was found to be having links with Al Qaeda.

According to an updated list of proscribed organisations placed by the National Counter Terrorism Authority on its website, ARWTO was formally outlawed on Dec 13, 2018. The only other addition in the list during that year was that of Jundullah, that had been proscribed on Jan 31, 2018. Jundullah had been formed by Abdol Malek Regi who had been captured and executed in Iran in 2010. With latest addition, number of proscribed outfits rises to 67; JuD, FIF continue to be on watch-list

The Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and Sipah-i-Mohammad Pakistan were placed on the list on Aug 14, 2001 and Jaish-i-Mohammad, Lashkar- e-Taiba, Sipah-i-Sahaba Pakistan, Tehreek-i-Islami and Tehreek-i-Nifaz Shariat-i-Mohammadi on Jan 14, 2002. The Tehreek-i- Jafria Pakistan was put on the list on Jan 28, 2002, followed by Al Qaeda on March 17, 2003, Millat-i-Islamia Pakistan and Khuddamul Islam on Nov 15, 2003 and Islami Tehreek Pakistan on Nov 15, 2003.

Three more organisations — the Jamiatul Ansar, Jamiatul Furqan and Hizbut Tehrir — were banned on Nov 20, 2003, and Khair-un- Naas International Trust was banned on Oct 27, 2004.

The Balochistan Liberation Army was placed on the list on April 7, 2006, and Islamic Students Movement of Pakistan on Aug 21, 2006.

Another four groups were banned after a gap of about two years — the Lashkar-i-Islam, Ansarul Islam and Haji Namdar Group on June 30, 2008, and Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan on Aug 25, 2008.

Five militant organisations from Balochistan — the Balochistan Republican Army, Balochistan Liberation Front, Lashkar-i- Balochistan, Balochistan Liberation United Front and Balochistan Musallah Difa Tanzeem — were put on the list on Sept 8, 2010. Three organisations from Gilgit — the Shia Tulaba Action Committee, Markaz Sabeel Organisation and Tanzeem Naujawanan-i- Ahle Sunnat — and Peoples Aman Committee (Lyari), Karachi, were placed on the list on Oct 10, 2011.

The Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat, a reincarnation of Sipah-i-Sahaba Pakistan, was banned on Feb 15, 2012, followed by Al Harmain Foundation and Rabita Trust on March 6, 2012, and Anjuman-i-Imamia and Muslim Students Organisation (both from Gilgit- Baltistan) on April 24, 2012.

The Tanzeem Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (Gilgit-Baltistan) appeared on the list on June 5, 2012 while Balochistan Bunyad Parast Army, Tehreek Nafaz-i-Aman, Tahafuz Hadudullah, Balochistan Waja Liberation Army, Islam Mujahideen, Jaish-i-Islam and Balochistan National Liberation Army were banned on Aug 4, 2012.

The list was widely expanded in 2013 with the addition of the Khana-i-Hikmat Gilgit-Baltistan on March 13 and Tehreek-i-Taliban Swat, Tehreek-i-Taliban Mohmand, Tariq Jeedar Group, Abdullah Azam Brigade, East Turkmenistan Islamic Movement, Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, Islamic Jihad Union, 313 Brigade, Tehreek-i-Taliban Bajaur, Amar Bil Maroof Wa Nahi Anil Munkir (Haji Namdar Group), Baloch Student Organisation-Azad, United Baloch Army and Jeay Sindh Muttahida Mahaz on March 15, 2013.

Since then, the list remained unchanged till July 15, 2015, when the name of Daesh (the Arabic acronym of the militant Islamic State organisation) was placed on the list of banned organisations. This was the only addition to the list during the last two and a half years.

The Jamaat-ul-Ahrar and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi Al-Alami were added to the list on Nov 11, 2016 followed by Ansar ul Hussain on Dec 30, 2016.

The Tehreek-i-Azadi Jammu and Kashmir was the only addition made to the list in 2017. The organisation was outlawed on June 8, 2017.

Jundullah and the Al Rahmah Welfare Trust are the only two additions to the list made since then, the first by the outgoing -Nawaz government on Jan 31, 2018 and the other by the incumbent government on Dec 13.

According to the list, the Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) and Falah-i-Insaniat Foundation (FIF) continue to be on the watch-list, besides Ghulaman-i-Sahaba (GS) and Maymar Trust.

In February last year, the then president had promulgated an ordinance amending the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997, with regard to proscription of terrorist individuals and organisations to include entities listed by the UN Security Council -- in a move to declare JuD and FIF proscribed groups. However, the ordinance lapsed after expiry of 120 days and was neither re-promulgated nor brought before the parliament as a bill.

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The Al-Akhtar Trust and Al-Rasheed Trust are the two organisations listed under the UN Security Council resolution No. 1267, since Dec 2005.

The successive governments have played soft on the banned outfits, allowing their leaders and activists to contest general elections. Maulana Ahmad Ludhianvi, chief of the Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat, a banned organisation, contested both the previous general elections.

Though a decision had been made in 2016 to tighten noose around members of banned outfits and under observation suspects by cancelling their passports and blocking their computerised national identity cards, it practically could not happen. Known members of such organisations freely move and even proceed abroad – mostly to perform Haj and Umrah. (By Iftikhar A. Khan Dawn, 01, 10/02/2019)

'Highly influential' Rao Anwar will destroy all evidences, fears IO

The Investigation Officer (IO) in Naqeebullah Mehsood‘s murder case has asked the Sindh High Court (SHC) to cancel the interim bails granted to some of the accused, including former SSP Rao Anwar and DSP Qamar Ahmad Sheikh.

In a three-page statement submitted on Friday before a two-member bench comprising Justice Aftab Ahmad Gorar and Justice Amjad Ali Sahito, IO Dr Rizwan Ahmad made some startling disclosures about developments in the case. He told the judges that the accused were ‗highly influential, powerful, callous and cunning‘ and if they remained on bail, they would destroy or eliminate all evidences against them.

The main accused, who are on bail, include Malir SSP Rao Anwar, Qamar Ahmed Shaikh, former sub inspector Muhammad Yaseen, former ASI Supurd Khan and former head constable Khizer Hayat.

Making some startling disclosures in his statement, Dr Rizwan said that these accused had eliminated every trace of evidence from the place of the incident.

Substantiating his argument about the power and authority enjoyed by the main accused, Dr Rizwan revealed that they, before the case proceedings started, exercised their influence to pressurise the key eyewitness, Shahzad Jahangir, to take back his statement and later made him disappear.

The IO expressed the fear that all the witnesses could deviate from their statements if the bails of the accused were not annulled, adding that the accused could also force the witnesses to change their statements by terrifying them.

Dr Rizwan hence requested the court to annul the bails of former SSP Rao Anwar and others to enable the prosecution to reach the case to its logical conclusion.

In jail The IO‘s report states that some accused, including former sub-inspector Muhammad Anar Khan, ASI Khair Muhammad, constable Imran Kazmi, ASI Akbar Mallah, head constable Faisal Mehmood and constable Raees Abbas, who were on the run, had appeared in court after acquiring interim bails from Hyderabad. Anti-Terrorism Court-III had annulled their bails on January 16, 2019, and ordered them to be sent to jail.

The IO goes on to state that other accused, ASI Allahyar Kaka, head constable Muhammad Iqbal, constable Arshad Ali, constable Ghulam Nazuk, constable Shafqat Ahmed and constable Shakeel Feroz, are also in jail.

The evidence IO Dr Rizwan states that the presence of accused, Anar Khan, at the site of the incident was recorded from 1:55am till 3:34am. Meanwhile, the presence of ASI Khair Muhammad at the site of the incident was recorded at 2:15am.

The report further states that constable Shakeel Feroz is crucial link in the investigation of the case. Feroz, the report states, was a close aide of then SHO sub inspector Amanullah Marwat and had contacted ASI Gada Hussain 18 times between January 13, 2018 – the day before the incident – and January 18.

Dr Rizwan has revealed that Feroz has changed his SIM card and mobile phones several times after the incident. Therefore, the report states, all the acquired digital evidences point towards the planning

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On the run The report also mentions the declaration of seven accused, who are on the run, as absconders. These accused have disappeared with their families fearing arrest. Teams have been formed for their arrest and the search operation is ongoing.

The absconders include Amanullah Marwat, ASI Gada Hussain, Head Constable Mohsin Abbas, sub-inspector Sheikh Muhammad Shoaib alias Shoaib Shooter, Head Constable Sadaqat Hussain Shah, policeman Raja Shams Mukhtar and Rana Riaz Ahmed.

Rao Anwar reacts Meanwhile, Rao Anwar has taken an exception to the statement of Dr Rizwan before the high court accusing him of playing some role in the disappearance of the key eyewitness in Naqeebullah‘s murder.

Talking to the media outside the court on Saturday, Rao Anwar demanded the Sindh government and Inspector General of Police (IGP) to assign some neutral officer to conduct inquiry into the statement of Dr Rizwan.

ATC proceedings In a related development, the Special Anti-Terrorism Court-III declared seven accused as absconders who are on the run in the cases relating to the murder of Naqeebullah and his companions.

Former SSP Rao Anwar and DSP Qamar along with other accused appeared before thee court. Investigation officer Dr Rizwan informed the court that the process for the declaration of accused as absconders has been completed.

Court declared that the accused will be indicted on next hearing and adjourned the hearing till February 19. (By Nasir Butt The Express Tribune, 04, 10/02/2019)

Police probe into JST leader’s killing by Malir UC chairman begins

Police authorities on Saturday ordered a probe into the Feb 6 killing of a city leader of the Jeay Sindh Tehreek (JST) by a Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) union council chairman in an alleged mugging incident in Bhains Colony, Malir district.

While the police claimed that the deceased, Irshad Ahmed Ranjhani, had a criminal record and had been arrested at least thrice in Karachi, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah intervened on Saturday and sought a judicial inquiry into the incident — a rare instance as he or his government never went for a judicial probe into similar cases involving victims who were all killed by police in controversial circumstances.

On Feb 6, UC-3 chairman Abdul Raheem Shah had claimed to have killed a suspected robber, later identified as JST‘s Karachi president Ranjhani, with his licensed pistol within the remit of the Shah Latif Town police when he along with his accomplices tried to intercept his vehicle to snatch cash that he drew from a bank.

The incident sparked a protest in which protesters demanded arrest of the UC chairman and action against policemen who were, according to them, portraying a victim as a criminal.

Investigators find deceased’s criminal record; Sindh govt to approach SHC for judicial inquiry

Karachi police chief Additional Inspector General Amir Ahmed Shaikh constituted a team, headed by DIG East Amir Farooqui and comprising SSP East Azfar Mahesar and SSP Investigation (Malir) Dr Farrukh Malik ―to enquire into the death of Irshad Ahmed in the area of Shah Latif Town on Feb 6‖ and directed it to submit its findings and recommendations within three days.

Police say JST leader had criminal record DIG Farooqi claimed that the deceased had criminal record as several FIRs were registered against him at different police stations in the city.

―He was known as Irshad Ali alias Fauji,‖ he said. ―He got arrested in a snatching case in Nazimabad police station‘s limit in 2003. In 2008 he was arrested in Defence and a stolen vehicle and unlicensed pistol was recovered from him. In 2013 he was again arrested in Bahadurabad with an unlicensed weapon.‖

About the incident, he said there were many people who gathered at the spot including MPA Raja Razzaq. ―They are all eyewitness to the scene.‖

―There are five bullet wounds making 10 entry/exit points as was noted during medical examination,‖ he said. ―The deceased was carrying a gun and also fired shots.‖

He said that the gun of the deceased was also recovered. There were three accomplices of the deceased who rode away, he added.

―The CDR [call data record] of the mobile phone recovered from the deceased indicates his movement when he came from Dadu and who are his acquaintances,‖ the DIG said.

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To a question about reports that the UC chairman did not allow the people to shift the injured suspect to hospital and he allegedly fired more shots in the presence of many people, the DIG said: ―I need eyewitnesses statements for that … we are calling eyewitnesses to this effect and if any such thing comes on record, it will be shared.‖

He said that the inquiry team already started work and on Saturday SSP Farrukh Malik had visited the place of the incident and then the Shah Latif police station.

Murad wants judicial probe Sindh Chief Minister on Saturday decided to request a judicial inquiry and directed Chief Secretary Mumtaz Shah to write a letter to the registrar of the Sindh High Court asking him to order a judicial probe into the case.

―We can‘t allow anyone to take law into one‘s hand,‖ Mr Shah was quoted as saying.

Earlier, the chief minister directed IG Dr Kaleem Imam to conduct an inquiry by a senior police officer into the incident.

―The government cannot allow anyone to establish state within the state, taking guns and killing someone by blaming the victim as a robber,‖ said Mr Shah referring to the circumstances involving Mr Ranjhani‘s murder.

Officials said the chief minister wanted a detailed report about police record of the UC chairman and the deceased, area police‘s whereabouts at the time of the crime, autopsy report, the person who registered the FIR [police or relatives of the victim] and which sections had been invoked and whether anyone had been arrested.

On CM‘s instruction, the Sindh home department sent a request, stating: ―It is requested that the honourable district and sessions judge, District Malir, Karachi, may kindly be issued necessary directions to conduct judicial inquiry in the matter particularly in the causes leading towards his death and subsequent actions including delay, if any, in providing medical aid and actions taken against the alleged offenders of this offence and submit report within 30 days to this department for perusal of the honourable chief minister Sindh,‖ it said. (By Hasan Mansoor | Imtiaz Ali Dawn, 15, 10/02/2019)

‘Hitman’ belonging to MQM-London held for killing 41 people

Police on Sunday claimed to have arrested a man, said to be associated with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-London, for his alleged involvement in killing 41 people since 1995.

Speaking at a press conference at his office, SSP-East Azfar Mahesar said acting on a tip-off, the Bahadurabad police arrested Sajid, alias Bona, near a Karachi Water and Sewerage Board office on Sharea Faisal and seized a weapon and a stolen motorbike from him.

He said the suspect was an employee of the Sindh health department.

―The held suspect belongs to the MQM-London and has committed heinous crimes under directions of his party leadership,‖ said the officer. ―He had been involved in heinous crimes since 1995 when he gunned down a police officer in .‖

SSP Mahesar claimed that the held suspect‘s alleged team of targeted killers comprised 11 members.

A member of his team, Sagheer alias Mota, had fled to Dubai in 2013 while Asad Iqbal, a sector in-charge and Qadeer had also gone underground in 2014. Saleem alias Tension was now in jail while his six accomplices were killed during different ‗encounters‘ with police and Rangers, he added.

The suspect is an employee of Sindh health department

They had killed their accomplice Nadeem Abbasi over suspicions of being an ‗informer‘ of the Sunni Tehreek.

The suspect was allegedly involved in 31 criminal cases — all of those have been declared ‗A-class‘ by police.

He had killed two policemen, a director of the education department and an excise official, the SSP said.

He claimed that the suspect had joined a ‗preaching party‘ to avoid arrest.

During an initial probe, the suspect told the police that they killed a police constable, Nabi Bakhsh, in 1995 in over suspicions of being an ‗informer.‘

They killed another policeman, Anwarul Haq, in 2013 near Jail Chowrangi as he had ‗misbehaved‘ with the wife of their accomplice Saleem Tension.

He told the police that they gunned down education director Mohammed Shamim in 2012 inside his office over transfer and posting issues. He claimed that they were directed by their party to kill government officers.

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They had also killed workers of MQM-Haqiqi, Sunni Tehreek and PPP.

JST leader murder probe being conducted on technical grounds Answering a question, the SSP said that the inquiry into the murder of Jeay Sindh Tehreek‘s city president Irshad Ranjhani, who was killed by Malir union council chairman Abdul Raheem Shah by declaring him ‗robber‘ at Bhains Colon Mor on Feb 6, was being conducted on technical grounds.

SSP Mahesar, who is one of the members of the inquiry committee constituted by the city police chief to inquire into the causes and circumstances leading to the killing, said that the pistols recovered from deceased Ranjhani and the UC chairman and spent bullet casings had been sent to the police‘s laboratory for a forensic analysis.

The call data record of both deceased and the UC chairman would also be checked, he added.

He said that as Ranjhani‘s family members had gone to their native place in Dadu for his burial, the investigation team would record their statements when they would come back to the city.

Parties, civil society stage protests Various political parties and civil society activists on Sunday held a protest demonstration near the Governor House against the killing of Ranjhani.

They staged a sit-in at Fawara Chowk on Abdullah Haroon Road before dispersing peacefully.

The protesters, including women, demanded the arrest of UC chairman Raheem Shah.

Also on Sunday, different political parties held a protest at Bhains Colony, where the incident had taken place.

Murad irked by delay in UC chairman‘s arrest Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah on Sunday held a meeting at the CM House to review the progress into the killing of Ranjhani.

Sources said that Chief Secretary Mumtaz Ali Shah, Home Secretary Abdul Kabeer Qazi and Additional IG of Karachi Dr Amir Ahmed Shaikh attended the meeting.

CM Shah expressed his displeasure that the UC chairman had not been arrested so far.

He said the government had given a ‗free hand‘ to the police and there was no ‗political interference‘ and now the police had to show results.

The chief minister observed that this was a metropolitan city not a tribal area where a UC chairman openly killed a person without being caught by police.

Mr Shah said why the police did not arrest him when they had reached the spot on Feb 6.

The sources said the city police chief informed the meeting that the UC chairman had gone ‗underground‘ and efforts were under way to arrest him.

He said that three teams had been set up for investigation and his arrest. Besides, the police also sought help of intelligence agencies to trace and arrest the chairman.

Dr Shaikh informed the chief minister that a ‗positive development‘ was expected within the next two days. (By Imtiaz Ali Dawn, 13, 11/02/2019)

Court tells lawyer to approach AG office to arrange meeting of Uzair with family

The Sindh High Court (SHC) directed on Monday the defence lawyer to approach the Attorney-General‘s office in writing to help arrange the meeting of family members with accused .

A two-member bench of the SHC comprising Aftab Ahmad Gorar and Justice Amjad Ali Sahito gave these directions to Advocate Shaukat Hayat while hearing a plea filed by Uzair‘s mother, Razia Begum, for his production before the trial court.

Deputy Attorney-General informed the court when the family files application for meeting, it would be forwarded to authorities concerned and then the family‘s meeting with Uzair Baloch would be arranged.

Counsel of the petitioner told the court that that Uzair was arrested long ago but the proceedings of his trial haven‘t start ed yet. He said that as per law, trial must begin within six months after arrest of the accused.

The court ordered that new a plea should be filed about the delay in the trial proceedings. The court, later, adjourned the hearing till February 27.

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Razia Begum in her petition maintained that her son was picked up by law enforcement agencies in January 2016 and has been in their custody since. She said Baloch was booked and charged in 40 cases of terrorism which are pending in the anti -terrorism courts.

According to her, Balcoh was shifted from Central Jail on April 12, 2018 to some unknown destination and since then he has not been produced before the court.

The petitioner added that the trial court is neither proceeding with the cases against Baloch nor was it issuing any order to the jail authorities for his production. She said that family members were also not being allowed to meet him and as he was being kept at an undisclosed location.

Safoora Goth case The same bench declined to stay the execution of death sentences awarded by a military court to the accused of Safoora Goth carnage saying it will consider the matter after the Supreme Court‘s decision is announced in the case.

The bench was hearing the appeals seeking revoking of death sentence awarded to five accused — Saad Aziz, Tahir Minhas, Azhar Ishrat, Hafiz Nasir and Asad-u-Rehman — by military court in Safoora Goth bus killings.

At least 45 people were killed when terrorists targeted a bus carrying 60 members of the Ismaili community on May 13, 2015.

While the prosecutor maintained that the petition was not maintainable for hearing, the counsel for the accused maintained that despite repeated notices issued by the court, the parties did not submit any response. He said that High Court (LHC) and SC had earlier given verdicts against sentences awarded by the military courts.

The court remarked that they were 2017 judgments and questioned what happened next.

After the counsel for maintained that that a petition against the punishments was pending before the SC, the bench remarked that the sentences could not be suspended and the court would look into the matter after the SC verdict.

Advocate Habib however asked who would be responsible if the sentences are executed and said that there were cases earlier when the accused were sentenced while their appeals were pending before superior courts.

According to the prosecutor, the military court had announced sentences in criminal offence. An appeal against the military c ourt judgment can be filed at the Supreme Court.

The petitions filed by the accused maintain that the military court had awarded death sentence to the petitioners in several charges and the details of the cases had not been shared with the families of the accused. They prayed to court that a meeting of the family be arranged with the accused and execution of the punishment be stayed and they be allowed to file appeals in light of the SC verdicts.

Hearing adjourned Hearing an appeal by two of the accused of Safoora Goth killings in another case, the bench directed the prosecutor to submit paper file and adjourned the hearing till March 28.

According to the police, the accused had made a cracker attack at a police van on November 10, 2016 on M.A. Jinnah Road injuring Sesal Aijaz and killing head constable Muhammad.

An anti-terrorism court had awarded life imprisonment to both the accused.

Appeal against life term Another bench of the high court comprising Justice Naimatullah Phalpeto and Justice KK Agha adjourned the hearing of an appeal filed by Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan‘s (MQM-P), Saeed Bharam, who had been sentenced on the charges of killing of MQM-Haqeeqi worker, Syed Abrar Hussain. by an anti-terrorism court.

The counsel for convict, Khwaja Naveed, sought time to present his arguments. The court adjourned the hearing of the appeal till March 28. According to police, the confessional statement of Saeed has already been submitted in the court in which he had confessed the killing. He had also claimed MQM‘s Nadeem Nusrat, Farooq Sattar, Waseem Akhtar, Haider Abbas Rizvi, Muhammad Anwar and others issued directives for the terrorist activity.

According to Rangers prosecutor, a special anti-terrorism court had awarded life term to Saeed Bharam. There were concrete evidences against the accused, hence the punishment should be maintained. ―We want severe punishment be served to the suspect,‖ said the prosecutor. The murder case was registered on Oct 1, 2009 at Nabi Bux police station. The suspect Saeed alias Bharam had murdered MQM-Haqeeqi worker, Syed Abrar Hussain. (By Our Correspondent The Express Tribune, 05, 12/02/2019)

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Karachi witnesses largest protest in recent days to demand 'justice for Ranjhani'

Hundreds of protesters, irrespective of their political or ethnic affiliation, converged on main Karsaz Road in Karachi to pr otest the brutal killing of Irshad Ranjhani, who was shot dead on February 6 by a local government representative in Bhains Colony.

The road echoed with slogans of ―Justice for Irshaf Ranjhani‖, as the protesters, buoyed by a social media movement that spread soon after a video of the incident surfaced, demanded the perpetrator be arrested.

The protesters comprised not just nationalist leaders and workers, but members of civil society organisations, rights activists, besides a large number of students, teachers and lawyers. ―We need justice for Irshad Ranjhani,‖ came the shouts.

Slogans against the perpetrator, UC Nazim Rahim Shah and the police were inscribed on placards being waved by one of the largest crowds witnessed by the port city in recent past. ―We are against ethnic riots. We only want justice for Irshad Ranjhani who was brutally murdered in our city and was deprived of medical help,‖ said Dr Shanila Shah, a practicing doctor, who participated in the event with her sister.

Rizwan Memon, who came from Lyari, said that instead of providing relief to the victim‘s family and conducting a proper investigation, the police had started portraying Ranjhani as a ‗dacoit‘. ―Sindh government has ordered a judicial inquiry. Ho w can they call him a robber before the findings of the inquiry committee,‖ he said, adding that the police department was siding with the corrupt local police, who were hand in glove with the UC Nazim.

Sattar Zangejo, a social activist, referred to around four cases registered against the UC Nazim. ―FIRs of heinous crimes, including murder, are registered against Rahim Shah. Should we kill him on the basis of these FIRs,‖ he said, questioning how one could loot the UC Nazim, who was travelling in a Vigo with guards.

Traffic gridlock Earlier, as the protest started at 3:30pm, some volunteers were deputed on Sharae Faisal to ensure the smooth flow of traffic. However, as the number of participants swelled, spreading over Karsaz as well as the road in front of Awami Markaz, it caused a traffic gridlock.

Sensing the magnanimity of the occasion, several political leaders, including Dr Qadir Magsi of Sindh Taraqi Pasand Party, Sanan Qureshi and Asif Baldai of and local leaders of Qaumi Awami Tehreek and Awami Jamhoori Party also joined in the protest.

The sit-in continued till Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) ministers Saeed Ghani and Syed Nasir Shah reached the site, with a message from the chief minister. On their arrival, the crowd became even more charged and started shouting slogans against the PPP government.

―No no, go go,‖ the crowd shouted. Some youngsters, who were leading the protest, requested the participants to stop and list en to the ministers, but the protesters became emotional.

Saeed Ghani, referring to the CM‘s speech in the Sindh Assembly, said, ―Irshad is not a dacoit. I assure you that a murder case will be registered against Rahim Shah and cops who are found negligent,‖ he said.

The crowd expressing concern over the statement of East Zone DIG, in which he had declared Ranjhani a dacoit and demanded to form another committee to investigate the murder. Negotiations between the protesters and the PPP ministers were ongoing till the filing of this report.

Other parts of Sindh Meanwhile, the province-wide protests continued on Monday to condemn Ranjhani‘s murder. The legal fraternity in Hyderabad boycotted the courts and held a demonstration.

Sindh High Court Bar Association Hyderabad demanded that the culprit who shot dead Ranjhani in broad daylight and that too in a public place should be arrested and booked in the FIR. ―The bar has unanimously observed that due to inadequate, improper and bad governance of the state, innocent persons are being killed in public places.‖

The lawyers deplored that the police have taken so long to arrest the killer even though video clips and images of the killings have widely spread on social media. ―The people of Sindh are in a state of shock over the savage act of fatally shooting a person and then watching him succumb to the gunshot wounds as dozens of people who witnessed the crime stand as spectators,‖ lamented Advocate Abdul Raheem Chandio, who was among the protesting lawyers in Hyderabad.

The protesters said they will not accept any favour given to the suspect, Shah, during the inquiry by implicating the slain person in any fake case. They alleged that Shah represents a gang of criminals and is booked in criminal cases in around 15 police stations. The lawyers appealed the Chief Justice of Pakistan to take notice.

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Ayaz Latif , general secretary of Grand Democratic Alliance, who earlier gave a call for strike across the province on February 14 over Ranjhani‘s murder, said they will oppose any attempt to protect Shah or weaken the police case. According to Palijo, several nationalist parties, Jamaat-e-Islami, Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl, and others have expressed support for the strike. He gave the call from the platform of Qaumi Awami Tehreek party which Palijo heads as its president.

Sindh Taraqi Pasand Party Chairman Dr Qadir Magsi after condoling with family of Ranjhani in Dadu district on Monday demanded that Shah and his associates should be arrested without further delay.

Meanwhile, the civil society‘s representatives, students and political activists held protests in Badin, Thatta, Jamshoro, Sanghar, Tando Muhammad Khan and other districts. The faculty and students of Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences Jamshoro staged a protest in the varsity‘s premises. Several district bar associations also held demonstrations. Protests were also held in several towns of Dadu district, which was the hometown of the slain person.

UC Nazim arrested Bhains Colony Union Council Chairman Abdul Rahim Shah was arrested on Monday for the murder of Jeay Sindh Tehreek Karachi President Irshad Ranjhani. The arrest came after protests on social media and Karachi Police chief Dr Amir Sheikh‘s inquiry team recommended the UC chairman‘s arrest.

East Zone DIG said that they were in contact with Ranjhani‘s family. A day earlier, the investigative team had examined the crime scene and recorded the statement of the Edhi ambulance driver. The investigation team had also reviewed CCTV footage and videos circulating on social media of the incident. A case has been registered against Shah for stopping people from shifting Ranjhani to a hospital after he shot him.

On February 6, Ranjhani was shot dead by Shah who also did not let people present on the spot take him to the hospital. (By Hafeez Tunio / Z.Ali The Express Tribune, 04, 12/02/2019)

Will not let Sindh become a police state, warns Murad

Waking up to the existence of a ―police state‖ in the province, the Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah expressed dismay on Monday over the police‘s performance in handling the ―cold-blooded‖ murder of Jeay Sindh Tehreek‘s Karachi president Irshad Ranjhani. The chief minister ordered to register an FIR against the area‘s police personnel and arrest them for their criminal negligence.

CM Shah was responding to the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal MPA Abdul Rashid‘s point of order in the Sindh Assembly session on this horrific murder. ―The video clip available on social media portrays an inhumane and gory picture,‖ he said. ―The UC Nazim Rahim Shah, who killed the man, acted like judge, jury and executioner at the scene and flaunted the rule of gun over there,‖ he added.

When he came to know about the incident, the CM said, he had asked the Sindh Police chief IGP Kaleem Imam to properly investigate the matter. But the police, without conduting a proper investigation, called the deceased a dacoit.

―After 24 hours, when the police did not give any tangible results, I asked the chief secretary for a judicial inquiry,‖ he said, adding that the local police was involved in the murder. ―I order to register an FIR against the cops for their criminal negl igence,‖ said the CM. ―We have passed a law in this Assembly to shift injured to the hospital without any legal formality so that their life can be saved. The man, who is the alleged robber, was shot five times and was bleeding from his mouth, requesting everyone on the spot to save his life. Instead of shifting him to a hospital, the cops took him to the police station which resulted in his death,‖ the CM remarked.

Stark warning The chief minister said that the police IG and other officers in Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa were transferred in minutes if they didn‘t obey the orders of the chief executive of the province. ―This is not a police state. This is a democratic government!‖ he exclaimed. ―I will now transfer the IG and other officers if they don‘t obey my orders,‖ he said.

But the CM questioned the police‘s modus operandi. ―When asked about the progress in this case, the police officers argue that there were cases against the deceased. Does it mean we kill all people implicated in FIRs? I have strictly asked the IG and Karachi Additional IG to act as professional police officers, otherwise I will take action because I have to maintain law and order and establish the writ of the state,‖ said CM Shah.

He asked the other lawmakers in the Assembly to support him while he takes action against police officers who had established a state within a state. ―I will personally go and register cases against cops for their negligence if the senior police officials are reluctant,‖ said the chief minister, besides announcing that he will meet the chiefs of the Sindh High Court and the apex cou rt before bringing drastic reforms to the police culture in Sindh.

Earlier, MMA MPA Abdul Rashid, while referring to Ranjhani‘s killing, said, ―The UC Nazim has not only violated the law, it was inhumane to not allowpeople to transfer the victim to a hospital. He must be punished for it,‖ he said, adding that the incident occurred at 4:45pm, while the body had reached the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre at 6:37pm.

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CM’s letter to IG Earlier, the chief minister wrote a letter to the Sindh Police chief, expressing serious concern over the unprofessional handling of Irshad Ranjhani‘s murder case. ―I am writing this letter in utter dismay with regard to the unfortunate incident wherein Irshad Ranjhani was shot dead on February 6.‖

Referring to UC Nazim Rahim Shah, the CM said, ―Even if Rahim Shah‘s claim turns out to be true, the law does not give him the licence to kill and take the law into his own hands. This verdict remains the domain of the courts of law.‖

According to the chief minister, the incident has shaken the ―writ of the state‖ and dented the confidence of the people in the government‘s ability to protect and safeguard their lives. ―Police forces exhibited an irresponsible attitude and did not reach the scene on time, which resulted in the victim‘s death,‖ the letter states. ―As the chief executive of the province, I shall not act as a bystander and watch the fiasco like above shatter the image of the provincial government. It is my constitutional responsibil ity to ensure that the principles of natural justice and fair play are adhered to by the departments and agencies of the provincial government.‖

The CM further directed the IG to expedite the investigation and fix responsibility on the delinquent officers who mishandled the entire incident. ―In view of the above, you are directed to report in this regard and should reach my office within 48 hours.‖ (By Hafeez Tunio The Express Tribune, 04, 12/02/2019)

Another video emerges of Sindh police ‘mishandling’ an injured person

As the Sindh chief minister lambasted the police department over their unprofessional conduct in the aftermath of Irshad Ranjhani‘s killing, another video of a similar nature started making rounds on social media.

The said video was apparently recorded by a police official on January 29, earlier this year. It shows the horrifying scene of a man who is visibly injured and is writhing in pain as the police official relates the tale of an encounter with the suspect. This, despite the fact that the Assembly has recently passed the Sindh Injured Persons‘ Compulsory Medical Treatment (Amal Umer) Bill, making it mandatory for injured persons to be provided medical aid and treatment, without waiting for ‗medico-legal formalities‘.

The incident Details of the incident emerged after the West Zone DIG, taking notice of the video, ordered the SSP to investigate the matter. The police encounter had taken place in the limits of Police Station.

An injured man is seen writhing in pain on the ground as police officials stand over him. A police official narrates details of the alleged encounter for those watching the video.

According to the police official, who has yet to be identified, the injured accused and his accomplice had opened fire at the police team, who only narrowly escaped the assault. In the retaliatory fire by the police, one of the suspects was injured while his accomplice managed to escape. The video also shows police officials calling an ambulance to shift the injured to the hospital.

Details emerge Later, a press release was issued by a spokesperson of the West Zone police, which stated that on January 29 at around 3:20pm, a police patrol team tried to intercept two suspects on a motorcycle, who were allegedly going to commit a robbery. As the police team signaled for the suspects to stop, they opened fire at the personnel.

The police responded in kind and injured 35-year-old Adil, son of Zainul Abiddin, who they later arrested. His accomplice managed to flee. An illegal pistol was seized from Adil who was shifted to a hospital immediately for medical aid, states the press release. Raids have been carried out to arrest his accomplice. The Zone West Police spokesperson said that the arrested accused is now in jail. He had also been imprisoned for four years previously, he added. The spokesperson said that West DI G Dr Ameen Yousufzai has ordered West SSP Shaukat Ali Khatiyan to submit a report immediately after completing the inquiry. (By Our Correspondent The Express Tribune, 04, 13/02/2019)

UC Nazim remanded to police custody in Ranjhani murder case

A judicial magistrate of the Malir Court remanded UC Nazim Rahim Shah, the main accused in the Irshad Ranjhani murder case, to police custody for four days. Meanwhile, police arrested the additional SHO of Shah Latif Police Station, Riaz Amir, in the same case on Tuesday.

Shah latif Police had registered the case of Ranjhani‘s murder, FIR no. 105/19, under Section 7 (punishment for act of terrorism) of the Anti-Terrorism Act as well as sections 302 (intentional murder) and 201/34 (causing disappearance of evidence of offence) of the Pakistan Penal Code.

The FIR was registered on the complaint of the deceased‘s brother, Khalid Hussain Ranjhani and lists UC Nazim Rahim Shah, his son, their two guards, DSP Shaukat Shahani and Shah Latif Police Station SHO as the accused.

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Police on Tuesday arrested Additional SHO Riaz Amir for showing negligence in duty. Amir had already been suspended by the East Zone DIG a day earlier.

Remand Meanwhile, the primary accused Rahim Shah, was presented before the Judicial Magistrate of Malir Court. The accused was brought to the court in an Armoured Personnel Carrier amid tight security cover. The court accepted the police‘s request for a four-day physical remand.

As the hearing began, a large number of protesters had gathered at the court. The security officials had to intervene when lawyers and other protesters tried to encircle the accused. The lawyers also tried to slap and throw their shoes at Shah, but the police pushed them back and were able to escort him out of the court premises safely.

Judicial inquiry Meanwhile, the Sindh High Court has responded to the chief minister‘s request that it does not have the jurisdiction to conduct a judicial inquiry into Irshad Ranjhani‘s murder

Earlier, the had written a letter to the Sindh High Court, asking for a judicial inquiry into Ranjhani‘s murder.

According to the Sindh High Court Registrar, the SHC has suggested the Sindh government to approach the district and sessions court, which has the authority to order a judicial inquiry. (By Our Correspondent The Express Tribune, 04, 13/02/2019)

Policeman killed in gun battle with gangsters

A policeman was killed in an exchange of gunfire with drug peddlers in Pak Colony on Tuesday, officials said.

They added that the Pak Colony police raided a hideout in Phool Wali Gali in Pak Colony on intelligence reports about the presence of some criminals and drug peddlers associated with the city‘s notorious gangs. The raid turned into a gun battle between criminals and the police.

―The personnel of the law-enforcement agencies cordoned off the area,‖ said an official at the Pak Colony police station. ―The armed men in the hideout attacked personnel of our team when they were busy taking positions. The attack led to retaliation from our side, which triggered exchange of gunfire. The firing left one of the constables named Mohammad Farooq badly wounded and the armed men managed to run away under cover of heavy firing.‖

The injured constable was taken to the Civil Hospital where he died of wounds, he said, adding that the victim was a resident of Liaquatabad and was transferred to Pak Colony police station more than a year ago.

Sindh police IG Kaleem Imam while taking notice of the incident sought a detailed report from the DIG West and ordered immediate arrest of the culprits.

18 suspects held by Rangers Meanwhile the Pakistan Rangers, Sindh in a statement claimed to have arrested 18 suspects, including three ―extortionists‖, during raids in different parts of the city.

The paramilitary force said that its soldiers carried out raids in the Madina Colony, Saeedabad and Baghdadi areas and apprehended three ―extortionists‖.

The suspects namely M. Zohair, alias Deedar; Ubaid-ur-Rahman and Shiraz Ahmed were involved in several cases of extortion, added the statement.

In other actions, the paramilitary force said, they arrested four alleged drug peddlers in Ferozabad, Kalri and Kalakot areas.

MQM worker killed in attack laid to rest

A worker of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), who was killed in an armed attack on a party office in New Karachi late on Monday night, was laid to rest on Tuesday after funeral prayers in New Karachi. Another party worker was wounded in the attack.

A large number of party workers, area people and party leaders attended the funeral of Shakil Ansari.

After the funeral the party leaders speaking to journalists questioned the performance of the Sindh government, specifically regarding law and order in the city.

They asked the provincial authorities to allow them to make their own security arrangements if the Sindh government could not perform its duty.

Emotions were running high at the congregation where funeral prayers of deceased Shakil Ansari were held at Baghdadi Masjid. Senior party leaders, including Federal Minister Dr Siddiqi, Amir Khan, city Mayor Wasim Akhtar, Faisal Subzwari and others attended the prayers.

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Later he was laid to rest in the Mohammad Shah graveyard.

―They [the Sindh government] should allow us to take up the task of security if they can‘t give security to our workers and offices,‖ said Dr. Siddiqi. ―The Sindh government in fact has failed to ensure the safety of party workers. The terrorists are targeting our leaders and workers without any check by the authorities. We demand the government to take immediate measures and arrest the culprits within 48 hours.‖ (By The Newspaper's Staff Reporter Dawn, 16, 13/02/2019)

Domestic violence

ONCE again, religious parties are creating hurdles in the passing of the Domestic Violence against Women (Prevention and Protection) Bill.

The bill was introduced in the provincial assembly early this week after being approved by the provincial cabinet in 2018.

The stated purpose of the bill is to prevent domestic violence against women and to protect them from sexual, psychological and economic abuse. If passed, women from KP or their guardians can file complaints to 10-member committees headed by district deputy commissioners, which will provide assistance to them.

Any person found guilty of abuse would be imprisoned for up to three months or fined up to Rs30,000 (or both) under the Pakistan Penal Code.

Undoubtedly, this will be a welcome move for the women of KP who deserve just as much security as their counterparts in other areas of the country. But whenever such laws are discussed, opposition voices are raised using the rhetoric of ‗culture‘ and ‗family‘. It was only last month that KP appointed its first provincial ombudsperson for sexual harassment, after much resistance from certain quarters.

In 2016, Punjab passed the Protection of Women Against Violence Bill, 2015. Over the years, Punjab has had the most instances of violence against women — or at least the most reported.

The law offers protection to women against a range of abhorrent crimes: domestic violence, emotional, economic and psychological abuse and cybercrime. Additionally, it provides protection, residence and/or monetary order in light of such offences.

Prior to this, Sindh had passed the Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Bill, 2013, and Balochistan passed the Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Bill, 2014. While these laws may have their deficiencies and loopholes, and are open to criticism and thus improvement, they are absolutely vital in recognising that violence against women is a crime in the eyes of the state.

Violence is another form of control, and there is no end to the many ways society attempts to ‗control‘ women through judgement or coercion. Inherent to these notions of control are knee-jerk reactions and deep-seated fears of women gaining independence — and men subsequently losing their power over them — which somehow translates into the breaking up of families for some. This is simply untrue.

And if families are indeed being kept together through fear and violence, that is not a healthy environment for any member of the unit to be in, in the first place — least of all the most vulnerable member, who has to suffer just to fulfil someone else‘s abstract ideals.

Such regressive attitudes infantalise adult women by casting doubt on their decision-making faculties, and are used as a tool to justify oppression.

All women citizens deserve a life free of intimidation, harassment and abuse both within and outside their homes. Domestic violence is not to be taken lightly. (By Editorial Dawn, 08, 13/02/2019)

Targeted killings

MEMORIES of violence past have begun casting a shadow over Pakistan‘s largest metropolis. After months of relative calm, targeted killings have taken place with disturbing frequency over the past few weeks in Karachi. The development was described to this newspaper by a senior counterterrorism official as evidence of a new ‗underworld criminal group‘ in Karachi. The spate of violence began with the assassination of Ali Raza Abidi late last year, with the former MQM leader gunned down outside his home. A sectarian motive is one of the angles being considered for the as-yet-unsolved murder. Among some half-a-dozen targeted killings that have happened since then are that of a KDA official active in the Shia community, two Ahmadi brothers and a policeman. While it may be too early to claim that any of these were religiously motivated killings, this is the point at which the right kind of response from law enforcement can curb violence from spiralling out of control.

When the Rangers-led Operation Cleanup began in late 2013, Karachi was a cauldron of ethnic, sectarian and political rivalries — the wages of years of disastrous policies that had sabotaged the interests of the city‘s residents for political gain. Militants affiliated with political parties, with the tacit support of their leadership, ran an underworld economy that thrived on the proceeds of extortion,

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Law and Order URC kidnapping, bank robberies, etc. Not surprisingly, targeted killings also became the order of the day. Within a year or so, the operation to restore law and order in Karachi halved the incidence of major crimes; targeted killings were brought down by a whopping 80pc. Part of that had to do with many hard-core criminals escaping the dragnet and fleeing the city, even the country itself. It is difficult to say how much store one can set by the police version, but there is irrefutable evidence that some of those criminal elements are returning to their old hunting ground. They must not be allowed to spread terror in Karachi again. (By Editorial Dawn, 08, 03/02/2019)

FixIt founder MNA Alamgir Khan booked for befouling CM House gate

Karachi Police registered on Wednesday a case against FixIt founder, MNA Alamgir Khan and eight other people, including Sadaqat Abro, for throwing sewerage water at the gate of the Sindh Chief Minister‘s House in Karachi.

Khan, who was recently elected an MNA on the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf ticket, has been campaigning against the provincial government from the past couple of years for not cleaning Karachi city and not resolving other civic issues faced by the citizens.

Civil Lines Police also arrested a FixIt member, Saifullah, after registering the case.

A messy affair Parliamentarian Alamgir Khan, accompanied by several FixIt campaigners, threw buckets full of sewerage water and rubbish at the main entrance of the CM‘s residence. The move was meant to act as wake-up call for the chief minister to clean up the city.

On Wednesday, the Civil Lines Police registered FIR no. 2019/19 under sections 341, 188, 278 and 290/34, for violation of Section 144.

According to the FIR, Khan and his accomplices had reached the CM House on a motorcycle rickshaw and loaded with garbage and buckets of water, which they threw in front of the gate.

The FIR states that Section 144 was violated on entering the Red Zone in this manner. The garbage and dirty water caused inconvenience to pedestrians and traffic was disrupted by the actions of the accused.

Saddar SP Abdullah Ahmed said that police had reviewed footage of the incident from videos circulating on social media as wel l as those being aired on TV channels.

Not the first time Khan is an MBA from Iqra University. He started a campaign in January 2016, wherein he would paint the portrait of then Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah alongside uncovered manholes and garbage dumps in various part of Karachi.

On February 25, 2016, Khan was arrested by the police when he tried to empty garbage bins outside the Chief Minister House. The next day, he was released on bail. In March 2016, a city court in Karachi indicted him in a case of wrongful restraint.

In August 2018, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) awarded him the ticket to contest the by-election on the NA-243 Karachi East-II Constituency. (By Our Correspondent The Express Tribune, 04, 14/02/2019)

Call to end torture

The law-enforcement agencies in Pakistan are known for employing varying methods of torture as part of their so-called investigation techniques. The police have always been infamous for inflicting physical harm while trying to extract information from some suspects in its custody.

How to bring about a change in this collective conduct and operational methods of law-enforcement agencies, especially the police? There are hundreds of judgments by the superior judiciary, drawing the attention of executive and legislative organs of the state to this situation while simultaneously making some suggestions and recommendations in this regard.

Now, the National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) has taken up the issue of this growing number of cases of torture by the police. It has stressed the necessity and urgency of enacting a proper law to define the ‗torture‘ and to prescribe stric t punitive action against all those responsible for torturing citizens in detention or in custody of the law-enforcement agencies.

The NCHR also released a report in this regard which made startling disclosures. It says that on court orders, some 1,424 medico-legal testimonies were prepared about the cases of torture during 2006 and 2012 but no action was taken against any of the police officials involved in these cases.

It is not the police alone known for employing methods of torture. Now there is a growing number of complaints against NAB which has lately become overactive in its intrusions into every institution — in public or private sector.

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Referring to the custodial death of Mian Javed of Sargodha University and the allegations of torture made by the former vice - chancellor of Punjab University, Mujahid Kamran, the NCHR chief, accused NAB of not allowing the commission members to visit its detention and entrapment centres across the country. Let us, however, pray that the NCHR‘s cry does not turn out to be another call to fall on deaf ears. (By Editorial The Express Tribune, 16, 15/02/2019)

IO terms terrorism case against Ranjhani’s murderer illegal

The murder case of Jeay Sindh Tehreek Karachi chief Irshad Ranjhani, who was shot dead by UC Chairman Rahim Shah on February 7, took an interesting turn on Friday when the investigation officer termed the FIR, registered by the victim‘s brother, illegal.

Investigation Officer (IO) Mehboob Bilal appeared before the administrative judge of the anti-terrorism courts (ATC) on Friday, where he submitted a report on the FIR registered on the complaint of the deceased‘s brother, Khalid Hussain Ranjhani. The FIR had contained Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, among others.

The IO told the court that the FIR, registered by the victim‘s brother, was illegal as it was a second report of the same murder. He claimed that the police had already registered a murder case against UC Chairman Shah under Section 322 (murder in self-defence) of the Pakistan Penal Code.

Addressing the court, IO Bilal explained that when an FIR had already been registered, a second report could not be registered of the same incident, as per the Supreme Court‘s ruling. He added that the accused, Shah, was already in police custody on a four-day remand on the basis of the initial FIR.

―This is not an FIR,‖ he said, referring to the brother‘s complaint. ―This is a second information report.‖ He added that the police had only registered the second FIR on behalf of the brother under pressure from senior police officers.

Court expresses displeasure On hearing the IO‘s submission, the court admonished the IO for violating the SC‘s ruling and asked why a second FIR was registered of the same incident. The IO again said that the police were under pressure to register the case on the brother‘s complaint.

The court then ordered the IO to record witness‘ statements and submit them with his report. At this, the IO excused that people start protesting on every little development in the case. He expressed the fear that there would be protests if he were to approach witnesses to record their statements.

The court then ordered him to record the statements of whoever was present in the court at the time. The IO did so, after whi ch the court accepted his report and issued notices to the prosecutor-general and the IO for the next hearing scheduled for February 18.

SHC moved Meanwhile, Khalid Hussain Ranjhani filed an application before a bench of the Sindh High Court (SHC), seeking the production of the main accused, Shah, before the ATC. A two-member bench, comprising Justice Aftab Gorar and Justice Amjad Ali Sahito, issued notices to the SSP and the IO to appear before it on February 18.

How the case unfolded Irshad Ranjhani, the city chief of JST was shot dead in cold blood by UC Chairman Rahim Shah in Bhains Colony on February 7. Soon after, videos of the incident started making the rounds on social media, showing an injured Ranjhani writhing on the ground as Shah waved about his pistol, stopping bystanders from taking him to the hospital. At the time, Shah had claimed that he was coming back from a bank after withdrawing money and Ranjhani was trying to loot him. He even registered an FIR of the incident, alleging the same.

Subsequently, mass protests erupted across the province, buoyed by the social media movement, demanding the perpetrator be arrested. The protesters also demanded that an FIR be registered under sections of the Anti-Terrorism Act.

On February 11, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah had also ordered the provincial police chief to register an FIR and arres t Shah. He also ordered that an FIR be registered against the police officials for taking the injured Ranjhani to the police station, instead of rushing him to the hospital.

That same night, Shah latif Police registered the case of Ranjhani‘s murder, FIR no. 105/19, under Section 7 (punishment for act of terrorism) of the Anti-Terrorism Act as well as sections 302 (intentional murder) and 201/34 (causing disappearance of evidence of offence) of the Pakistan Penal Code.

The next day, Shah was remanded to police custody for four days.

On Friday, the IO‘s revelation of a third FIR of the incident came as a surprise, as there had been no mention of the existence of this FIR earlier.

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(By Nasir Butt The Express Tribune, 04, 16/02/2019)

Illegal dumping of coal spreads to parts of Malir district

A number of companies importing coal through the Pakistan International Bulk Terminal (PIBT) in the Port Qasim area are dumping their hazardous consignments in different parts of Malir district, violating environmental laws and endangering public health, it emerged on Saturday.

Sources said that coal was being dumped in the open as well as within areas surrounded by boundary walls in , Bhains Colony, and near Goth.

―While most people living nearby wouldn‘t have any idea how coal could impact them, they would confirm to you that coal dumps along this railway line now cover a larger area,‖ said Bilal Ahmed, a livestock trader and resident of Bhains Colony where coal was being dumped at three sites.

The specific location he was talking about was located along the railway tracks in Juma Goth in Landhi where illegal dumping of coal had been going on for almost a year.

A recent visit to this place, which last year had only one coal dumping site, showed that coal was now being dumped at two locations along the railway tracks within a distance of one kilometre.

Workers were found handling coal without any safety gear in an environment heavily laden with coal dust. The coal, they said, would be transported to Punjab by the cargo trains which had arrived at the site a few hours before.

Companies not dumping coal in designated sites to cut costs

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a Sindh Environmental Protection Agency (Sepa) official said that the department had identified places in Bhains Colony, Razzaqabad and Railway Colony where coal was being dumped illegally.

―But we are waiting for a detailed report before taking up the cases,‖ he said in reply to a question, adding that Sepa had not given permission to anyone for setting up a coal storage facility in Malir.

SC order The Supreme Court had directed the authorities concerned last year that ―open coal will not be stored anywhere in Karachi and can only be kept in warehouses‖.

The SC further ruled that in case of transportation, proper blankets and moisture must be provided to the coal so that dust should not cause pollution. It directed all ships carrying imported coal not to unload it at Karachi Port Trust but at Port Qasim.

Health hazards Impacts of unsafe handling and burning of coal on health and environment are well documented.

Recent studies have showed that coal stockpiles emit fine particulate pollution in several ways. First, wind blowing over uncovered coal piles results in fugitive coal dust emissions that are a source of PM2.5 (particles less than or equal to 10 micrometers in diameter are so small that they can get into the lungs, potentially causing serious health problems).

Second, coal stockpiles emit volatile gases that can also lead to the formation of PM2.5 and when coal is delivered to a power plant, it goes through a lot of handling, including unloading, separating ―light dust‖ from the coal and crushing the coal to make it suitable for burning. These processes all generate fine particulates.

Experts have linked exposure to fine particulate pollution to increased deaths and ailments caused by cardiovascular diseases and respiratory infections.

A 2017 Children‘s Fund report found that air pollution is associated with pneumonia, which is responsible for the death of 920,000 children under the age of five years ever year.

Sepa’s stance When contacted, Naeem Mughal, the director general of Sepa, said that he was looking into the matter seriously after he recently took over the department‘s charge.

―The Supreme Court barred the Karachi Port Trust last year from offloading coal at its facility as it lacked proper storage for keeping such consignments safe. It was decided that coal would be imported using a dedicated facility at the PIBT,‖ he said.

Referring to the data the department has collected so far, he said that right now

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22 companies were importing coal from countries such as Indonesia and South Africa. ―The PIBT has a limited coal storage facility for 15 days only, for which they charge. Now, what‘s happening [is] that these companies dump coal outside the PIBT to avoid costs as well as to store their consignment till they are ready for its transportation,‖ he said.

In addition, he said, companies were saving money by importing coal in excess quantities. ―We are pursuing it and would take action against the Port Qasim Authority, which has given licence to the PIBT, and also those running this terminal as they are allowing companies lacking storage facility to import coal.‖

A Sepa team, he said, had planned a detailed visit to the PIBT next week to meet stakeholders, including industrialists, having any reservations over coal storage, handling and transportation in the Port Qasim area.

―Besides, we have written letters to the relevant police officials and local administration to take action against illegal dumping of coal in their areas,‖ he said. (By Faiza Ilyas Dawn, 15, 17/02/2019)

Same group seen behind killings of MQM-P, PSP workers in city

Police investigators probing the recent targeted killings in the city have found the involvement of the ―same group‖ in the attacks on workers and offices of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan and , increasing fears that the killings are designed to destabilise the law and order situation in the metropolis.

Karachi police chief Dr Amir Shaikh confirmed the involvement of the ―same group‖ in recent attacks and said that in at least three cases police had received detailed forensic reports of the spent bullet casings recovered from the crime scenes which suggested that same weapons were used in the attacks.

Terming it a major breakthrough in the investigations, he said the ―interesting findings‖ strengthened police‘s assessment about involvement of the same group in the recent targeted killings.

Hours after the assassination of PSP leader Abdul Haseeb Khilji on Monday evening in , a meeting was held to review the progress of investigations into the recent cases of targeted killings in the city.

Police say Monday’s killing of PSP man may be linked to personal issues

―In three cases we have found reports about the use of same weapons,‖ Dr Shaikh told Dawn after chairing the meeting. ―For instance, the [December 2018] attack on a PSP office in and then firing on an MQM-Pakistan office in New Karachi were executed by the same group.‖

He, however, refused to divulge any detail about the third case in which the investigators found the involvement of the same group. ―Interestingly, they [the two parties] are political opponents to each other, but someone definitely wants to cause instability in the city and trigger violence by killing their workers,‖ he added.

The Rangers-led operation, which was launched in September 2013, has improved the security situation in the city to a large extent as peace was restored to residential and commercial areas after years of bloodshed on sectarian, ethnic and political grounds.

But, a sudden surge in incidents of targeted killings on political and sectarian grounds have set alarm bells ringing in the quarters concerned.

Since late last year over a dozen people have been killed in targeted attacks. They include former MQM-P lawmaker Ali Raza Abidi, workers of the MQM-P and also those associated with the Mustafa Kamal-led PSP.

However, the Karachi police have also found ―personal enmity‖ and ―business rivalries‖ as possible motives behind killings of some people associated with different political parties and religious groups.

―We have recently witnessed a surge in killings but it‘s a fact that majority of the cases have been solved,‖ said the Karachi police chief. ―In several cases, the suspects had been arrested and motives behind the killings detected.‖

He elaborated that four of the total six cases of policemen‘s killings over the past few months had been solved and key suspects were arrested. ―In other cases, we are exploring all options and in some cases personal or business reasons have been found as possible motive for the killings.‖

He also referred to the probe into Abidi‘s murder case in which suspects and motive behind the murder had been identified.

In other remaining cases, he said that the police had found important clues, which would lead to arrests soon.

About Monday‘s killing of PSP leader Khilji, police sources said that they were looking into the matter with all angles but it appeared that it was related to some personal issues. (By Imran Ayub Dawn, 15, 20/02/2019)

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Incensed by Durrani’s arrest, PPP lashes out at Centre

The provincial government and members of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) have taken strong exception to the arrest of Sindh Assembly Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani in Islamabad by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Wednesday, terming it an illegal and unconstitutional step.

The party has decided to challenge the arrest in the court and protest in the upcoming session of the Sindh Assembly, scheduled for February 27.

The party‘s chairperson, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari took to Twitter to lash out against the move. ―Attack on Speaker of federating unit is unacceptable,‖ he tweeted. ―Undemocratic attempt to dislodge Sindh govt. Failed before will fail again. Independent institutions shouldn‘t unwittingly be part of political engineering,‖ he added.

His sister, Bakhtawar Bhutto Zardari, also expressed her concern on the micro-blogging platform. ―Chairman Bilawal was placed on post his Dec 27 speech and later PTI did a press conference claiming to take over Sindh. There has been no subtlety on what PTI want. Cases and ECL for Sindh chief minister and arrest of speaker, all insult to Pakistan and democracy.‖

The arrest Durrani, who was facing an inquiry relating to the accumulation of ―assets beyond known sources of income,‖ was arrested by NAB Karachi in Islamabad. After getting his transit remand, he will be moved to Karachi for further investigation today [Wednesday].

This is the first time that a sitting Speaker of a legislative assembly has been arrested in the country.

A source privy to the development told The Express Tribune that two other inquiries of corruption and illegal appointments are already pending before the NAB against Durrani. ―He has been arrested in the assets beyond means inquiry, but the NAB will also look into other inquiries against him,‖ said the source, adding that there has been massive bungling in the construction of MPA‘s Hostel of the Sindh Assembly and hundreds of people were given jobs in the local government department in violation of the rules when Durrani was minister of the department from 2008 to 2013.

Sindh govt’s stance According to the Sindh government, the Speaker is the custodian of the House representing 168 MPAs elected from various constituencies of the province. Therefore, he [Durrani] cannot be arrested merely on the basis of an inquiry. But the NAB officials were of the view that the arrest came after Durrani did not present himself before the inquiry committee, even after being issued three notices.

Soon after news of his arrest, PPP ministers held a press conference, where they alleged that there were separate sets of laws operational – one for the PPP and another for the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and its allies.

Barrister Murtaza Wahab, who was flanked by provincial ministers, including Syed Awais Shah and Shabbir Khan Bajarani, referred to the Constitution and said, ―The arrest of Speaker Durrani was a breach of Article 25 of the Constitution under which all citizens are equal and entitled to equal protection before the law. No reference or case is registered against him. He is innocent until proven guilty,‖ he said.

Quoting inquiries against incumbent Prime Minister and his cabinet members, including the National Assembly speaker and Punjab Assembly speaker, Barrister Wahab said, ―None of them have been arrested. On the contrary, they are enjoying all perks and privileges and full protocol.‖

Transport Minister Owais Shah called Durrani a custodian of the Sindh Assembly elected by 99 MPAs. ―The NAB has breached the privilege of the Sindh Assembly. We will protest it on all forums,‖ he said.

―We are not against the accountability process, but want to know why such actions are not being taken against opposition parties [in Sindh Assembly],‖ he said, adding that they will devise a strategy on it soon.

The PPP ministers were of the opinion that the people of Sindh were being victimized as they had voted for PPP, but the PTI would not succeed in its nefarious designs.

Later in the evening, the PPP leaders gathered at the Chief Minister House to devise a strategy in light of Durrani‘s arrest. The meeting decided to approach the court against the move as well as take up the matter in the upcoming session of the provincial assembly.

PTI demands resignation On the other hand, the PTI‘s Sindh lawmakers demanded the resignation of the Speaker, given his involvement in corruption cases. MPA Khurrum Sher Zaman, who is also the party‘s city chief said, ―Agha Siraj Durrani has lost the moral authority to remain on the seat. He himself should resign.‖

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Zaman added that all the local bodies‘ ministers, who had ruled Sindh in the past, were on the NAB‘s radar. ―Corruption will end in Pakistan,‖ he said. Referring to the resignations of PTI lawmakers Aleem Khan, and Azam Swati, Zaman called on the PPP to follow the PTI‘s example and replace the speaker.

Sindh Assembly session The Sindh Assembly session has been summoned for February 27. According to officials, under the prevalent circumstances, the deputy speaker, Rehana Leghari, will chair the session.

―If the speaker is on leave or absent for some reasons the deputy speaker will work as the acting speaker,‖ the Sindh Assembly Secretary told The Express Tribune, while referring to Article 30 of the Constitution. ―The acting speaker can issue his production order to attend the session,‖ said the secretary. When asked who would chair the session if Durrani came to the Assembly, he said, ―He is the speaker and will preside over the session whenever he is in the Assembly.‖ (By Hafeez Tunio The Express Tribune, 04, 21/02/2019)

Focus on torture

THE increasing incidence of torture in countries engaged in fighting terrorism has persuaded the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) to create a new Working Group on ‗Torture and Terrorism‘. The deliberations of the group at its inaugural meeting in Tunis earlier this month were extremely relevant to Pakistan.

The conference tone was set by Mokhtar Trifi, OMCT vice president from Tunisia, when he said that anti-torture activists saw almost daily how the legitimate fight against violent extremism was subverted to justify torture. ―While no one is above the law,‖ he said, ―no one is below the threshold of the law either, whatever the crime one is accused of‖.

The members of the group, who were on the front lines of the ‗war against terrorism‘ in Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America, complained of facing increased public acceptance of torture in their countries. The delegate from the Gulf region spoke for the group when he said: ―The biggest travesty is that states abuse the fight against terrorism to target human rights defenders, the very people we need to support the fight against violent extremists.‖ One would like to hope that the group‘s recommendations will receive due consideration by Islamabad.

There is no denying that torture is endemic in Pakistan. The constitutional guarantee against torture is limited to prohibition of torture for extracting evidence and even this provision is not respected. Most of the people charged with a criminal offence are tortured till they ‗confess‘, even to crimes they have not committed. The police know of no nonviolent methods of investigation/ interrogation. Pakistan has also often being criticised for allowing cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment and punishment for persons accused of not only criminal but also civil offences.

Police in Pakistan know of no non-violent methods of investigation or interrogation.

Apart from torture during investigation of crimes, and torture as a punishment for jail offences, enforced disappearances are instances of extreme torture caused not only to the victims but also to their families. The National Accountability Bureau‘s practice of arresting people before any FIR is registered and holding them in detention for months on end amounts to torture. Even the Supreme Court‘s censure of violation of suspects‘ dignity of person has had little effect on NAB.

Several cases of horrible torture inflicted on teenaged maidservants have been reported over the past few years and yet no effective law to eliminate domestic violence has been made. Corporal punishment meted out to schoolchildren was once described as part of Pakistani culture by some members of a Senate standing committee.

One significant matter of concern is the extended detention of suspects at special internment centres, safe houses and private premises that are not subject to the control of prison departments. In this regard, Pakistan has been urged to ratify the optional protocol to the Convention against Torture. The objective of the protocol is to establish a system of regular visits undertaken by national and international bodies to places where people are detained.

Pakistan ratified the Convention against Torture in 2009 and its initial report on compliance with it did not impress the UN Committee against Torture. The committee‘s concluding observations made in May 2017 should be accepted as the country‘s agenda for eliminating torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. Pakistan has been asked to:

— ―Ensure that officials ... at the highest levels unambiguously reaffirm the absolute prohibition of torture and publicly condemn all practices of torture‖, and issue ―a clear warning that anyone committing such acts or otherwise complicit or participating in torture will be held personally responsible before the law...;

— ―Take measures to ensure that all police officers ... are prohibited by law from engaging in torture, as under the 2002 Police Order applicable‖ in parts of the country;

— ―Ensure that police officers who engage in torture are prosecuted and punished with penalties that are commensurate with the gravity of the offence of torture, as required by Article 4 of the Convention;

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— ―Train police officers and security forces on the absolute ban on torture, the provisions of the Convention, and forensic evidence- gathering techniques that will reduce their reliance on securing confessions as the basis for criminal investigations‖...;

— ―Take effective measures to ensure that persons who file complaints concerning conduct amounting to torture, witnesses to torture and their families are protected against harassment and intimidation; ...

— ―Consider creating a mechanism independent of the police hierarchy with the capacity to receive complaints, investigate and address all allegations of torture; ...

— ―Take all necessary measures to ensure that all allegations of torture or ill-treatment are promptly, thoroughly and impartially investigated by a fully independent civilian body, that perpetrators are duly prosecuted and, if found guilty, convicted with penalties that are commensurate with the grave nature of their crimes;

— ―Amend the Actions in Aid of Civil Power Regulation and the amendment to the Army Act of 2015 to eliminate retrospective immunity...

— ―End the ... use of paramilitary forces to carry out law enforcement tasks and ensure that complaints of torture ... are investigated‖ and the perpetrators prosecuted.

— ―Repeal or amend the Anti-Terrorism Act and other relevant legislation to ensure that ... persons deprived of their liberty have access to legal safeguards against torture...‖

— To make a law that defines torture and prescribes penalties for its perpetrators.

The government must also try to implement the recommendations relating to the elimination of torture made in the latest Universal Periodic Review.

Postscript: There has been a happy turn of events for Baba Jan, Pakistan‘s most prominent prisoner of conscience and victim of torture. The calls by civil society activists for his removal from prison to a hospital for treatment of severe chest pain did reach the security forces and he was taken to the Military Hospital and the DHQ in Gilgit. He is now being treated for a stomach ailment. This is the time to end the baseless case against the hugely popular social and political activist, a case that has caused endless embarrassment to Gilgit-Baltistan‘s political leaders. (By I.A. Rehman Dawn, 08, 21/02/2019)

Who killed Nimrah - police or robbers

A medical student, Nimrah Baig, 21, who had received bullet injuries during an exchange of fire between the police and suspected robbers in North Karachi on Friday, succumbed to her injuries on Saturday. It is, however, yet to be ascertained if she was hit by a bullet fired from a weapon of police or by the robbers.

A final year student of Dow University of Health Sciences, Nimrah was passing in an auto-rickshaw at Anda Mor in North Karachi when she was hit by bullets during a shootout between police and robbers. She had received a bullet in her head and was first taken to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital and then was later shifted to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) on Friday night.

Nimrah was laid to rest in the afternoon at a graveyard in North Karachi after her funeral prayers at Jama Masjid Siddiq Akbar. Her funeral prayers were attended, besides family members, friends and neighbours, by the students of Dow Medical College.

According to police, two robbers, Riaz Malik and his accomplice, were fleeing after allegedly committing a robbery. A police team chased the suspects, upon which they opened fire at the police. In retaliatory firing, one of the robbers was shot and killed on the spot, while his accomplice was injured.

Family’s agony The dead body of Nimrah lay in the morgue for four hours due to the absence of the JPMC medico-legal officer (MLO) before being handed over to the family. The family claims that the MLO was called late night on Friday when the body was brought to the morgue but she refused to come to the hospital.

The MLO argued that the first medico-legal report was registered at Abbasi Shaheed, and so the post mortem should also be done there. The police officials, however, said that since Nimrah‘s death occurred after she was shifted to JPMC, where her death certificate was also issued, the post mortem would be done there.

Nimrah‘s maternal uncle, Muhammad Zaki Khan, and brother while talking to the media said that Nimrah was a final year student at Dow University and the eldest of two siblings. Nimrah‘s father, Mirza Aijaz Baig, had also served in the police but he died in 2010. They said that they saw the news on television after which they called on her mobile phone, which was answered by an unknown person who asked them to reach Abbasi Shaheed immediately. When they reached there, Nimrah had been shifted to JPMC already.

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Khan said that they were told by the doctors primarily that Nimrah had received a bullet in her head but there was only the m ark of the bullet entering the head, which meant that the bullet hadn‘t been taken out and was still in the head.

Khan also said that the MLO on duty at JPMC, Dr Zakia, was called more than once but she refused to come for the post mortem. He said that they had been wandering here and there trying to seek professional help but the hospital staff failed to cooperate. Dr Zakia however reached the hospital morgue and the post mortem started after four hours of wait.

The investigation Nimrah‘s uncle, Khan, said that they had not been given accurate information about who fired the bullet. He said that the people present at the scene claim that they heard the police officials talking to each other about having made the mistake. He demanded an impartial and complete investigation of the incident.

Central SSP Arif Aslam Rao, talking to the media, said that an impartial investigation will be conducted to find out who fired the bullet that killed Nimrah and will be shared with the public. ―We are waiting for the final post-mortem report and the forensic evidence from the crime scene, which will be examined along with the rounds collected from the scene‖, he added.

He further said that the weapons recovered from the robbers and bullet shells were being sent to forensic analysis.

Meanwhile, the Karachi Police chief has constituted an investigation team to look into the incident. The team, headed by the Crime Investigation Agency Deputy Inspector-General (DIG) Arif Hanif, also includes Special Investigation Unit SSP Noman Siddiqi and Traffic East Zone SSP Dr Sameeullah as members. The investigation team will submit its report in three days after completing the investigations on all aspects of the incident; the robbery, firing by robbers and the police‘s course of action.

Witnesses account The witnesses present at the scene claim that Nimrah was passing by the area in a rickshaw when she was struck by a bullet in the head. The bullet had fractured her skull due to which she suffered brain damage.

Dr Zakia told The Express Tribune that the bullet was not found anywhere in the body. Nimrah received the bullet on the right side of her head which penetrated 2.5cm deep inside the skull. The bullet seemed to have been fired from a small weapon, said Dr Zakia adding that the details can be confirmed after the post mortem reports are ready. (By Our Correspondent The Express Tribune, 04, 24/02/2019)

Shopkeeper shot dead in Liaquatabad

A shopkeeper was shot dead in Liaquatabad on Saturday afternoon, police said.

They added that when Naeem came out of his shop in furniture market located in Liaquatabad No. 4, armed motorcyclists wearing helmets came and opened indiscriminate fire on him and fled.

The victim and a passer-by, Asghar, sustained bullet wounds and were taken to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, where doctors pronounced Naeem dead on arrival.

The area police officer, Mohammad Nadeem, told Dawn that the victim sustained four bullet wounds fired from a 9mm pistol while Asghar, a driver by profession, received a single bullet injury on his hand.

The officer claimed that the deceased, who also owned an oil depot and a marriage hall, had personal enmity with his relatives over ―some issues‖ and had also been arrested once by police.

The police were investigating the exact motive for the murder. (By The Newspaper's Staff Reporter Dawn, 16, 24/02/2019)

Loss of an innocent life

It is very sad and tragic that another incident has happened in which a young medical student has been caught in the crossfir e between police and robbers resulting in her death.

Nimrah Baig was returning home from university when she found herself in the midst of an encounter between cops and robbers on Friday. She was travelling in an auto rickshaw in North Karachi‘s Anda Mor where a police party encountered a gang of robbers who were trying to flee after committing a robbery.

A fatal bullet struck Nimrah in the head and she was rushed to, at first Abbasi Shaheed hospital and later to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre where she succumbed to her wounds on Saturday.

The incident is not only a devastating one for Nimrah‘s family but has sent ripples of shockwaves among citizens of Karachi who simply cannot fathom such senseless and reckless killings.

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It may be recalled that a few months back a 10-year old girl met a similar fate resulting in her death from crossfire. In her case the former chief justice Saqib Nisar had taken suo moto notice and the matter was taken up at the highest level Police and medical negligence were responsible in her case.

In Nimrah‘s case it is yet to be ascertained if she was hit by a bullet fired from a weapon of police or by the robbers. Howe ver, this is not the issue for whoever opened fire the fact remains that a young life has been snuffed out, a family‘s hopes and dreams shattered and no expression of words can give the solace they need.

This incident and the earlier one speak volumes about police mismanagement and ineptness. Collateral damage is a fancy phrase commonly coined in police and military parlance.

To say that Nimrah was a collateral damage in the police encounter is to belittle the value of life. (By Editorial The Express Tribune, 16, 25/02/2019)

Poisonous gas, not food, caused death of six of a family

While chemical experts at a Karachi University facility confirmed that the cause of death of five minor siblings and their aunt last week was caused by inhalation of a poisonous gas and not by the food they had consumed, police on Tuesday registered a case of the tragic incident and kept the investigation open in both directions.

An FIR lodged at the Civil Lines police station contained relevant sections of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) regarding poisonous effect of insecticides as well as the sale of unwholesome food which causes food poisoning.

However, the International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS) of the has categorically claimed in its report that the deaths were not caused by any poisonous food, but due to the phosphate gas that emancipated from the anti-bug spray of aluminium phosphide.

Five siblings — three brothers and two sisters — had died on Feb 22 after reportedly consuming ―toxic food‖ which they had ordered from a restaurant in while staying at Qasr-i-Naz, a federal government official residence near the State Guest House, where the family had stayed after their arrival from Balochistan. Later, a paternal aunt of the deceased children also died during treatment at a hospital.

It was suspected that instead of food poisoning, the deaths were caused by inhalation of a highly toxic gas ‗phosphine‘ produced by a deadly fumigant ‗aluminium phosphide AlP‘.

The ICCBS report after examination of available substance confirmed the deadly effect of the insecticide.

―A large quantity of aluminium phosphide has been recovered from the Qasr-i-Naz room,‖ said an official citing the institute‘s findings. ―The anti-bug spray was used in large quantity on the floor. The mother was on the bed while the children and their aunt slept on the floor. The dangerous spray and the poisonous gas affected the children and their aunt the most.‖ (By The Newspaper's Staff Reporter Dawn, 15, 27/02/2019)

Former Benazir Housing Cell chief among seven convicted of Rs240m fraud

An accountability court on Wednesday convicted seven former government officials and private persons, including the former chairman of the Benazir Housing Cell, of misappropriating around Rs240 million from the Sindh government-funded low-cost housing scheme.

The convicts — including Manzar Abbas, the then chairman of the Benazir Housing Cell, Agha Zawar and Ashiq Ali Shaikh, the then deputy directors, Chaudhry Ashraf, the then secretary of the Fiza Social Welfare Organisation along with others — were found guilty of misusing their official authority and indulging in corruption and corrupt practices.

On Wednesday, the accountability court-IV judge, Fareed Anwar Qazi, pronounced his judgement, which was reserved earlier after recording evidence and final arguments from both sides.

The judge mentioned in the judgment that the prosecution had successfully established the allegations against the accused without a shadow of a doubt.

The judge awarded seven-year imprisonment to the main convicts Manzar Abbas, Agha Zawar, Ashiq Ali Shaikh, Chaudhry Ashraf and another.

They were also ordered to pay a fine of Rs15m each. Furthermore, the judge sentenced Ghulam Mohiuddin and Agha Zubair to five- year imprisonment. They were also ordered to pay Rs6m each.

The case against two alleged absconding accomplices, Mohammad Raza Khokhar, the chief executive officer of the non- government organisation and a former section officer of the National Assembly, and his wife Rukhsana Abbas, has been kept dormant till their arrest or surrender.

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The special public prosecutor argued that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had arrested main accused Manzar Abbas along with some other officials and private persons in 2015.

Later, they were booked in six corruption references filed in an accountability court. The references claimed that the accused were involved in misappropriation of over Rs365m from funds set aside for the low-cost housing scheme in Sindh.

It was argued that the Sindh government had launched the low-cost housing scheme in six districts — Larkana, Kashmore, Ghotki, Sanghar, and Khairpur — to build 2,400 houses for low-income groups. However, it added that the then chairman of the BHC along with others misappropriated the funds.

The prosecution further mentioned that the accused had issued fake calculation for the issuance of illegal cheques to M/s Fiza Social Welfare Organisation against which funds were illegally released and misappropriated.

Special public prosecutor argued that the accused Mohammad Raza Khokhar was the then chief executive officer of the NGO, which was awarded contracts by the provincial government to build houses for the people of low-income groups.

However, on the ground, less than half of the 2,400 houses were built, and poor quality material was used in the construction of the houses. The same were not safe for people to live in.

On the other hand, the defence counsel for the accused denied the allegations and contended that the accused were innocent, and the federal anti-graft watchdog implicated them in the case with mala fide intentions for ulterior motives. (By Naeem Sahoutara Dawn, 16, 28/02/2019)

Sindh Police demand their cut to loosen wrist-cutting handcuffs

Everything in Pakistan seems to depend on greasing palms. It has emerged that prisoners held at the City Court lockup often have to pay bribes prior to appearances before the court. If they do not meet this demand, their hands are so tightly cuffed or chained that they suffer deep cuts on their wrists. But if they pay bribes, their handcuffs are comfy and loose.

Suspects in Karachi are held at Karachi Central Jail, Landhi Jail, Malir Jail, and various other facilities including separate ones for women‘s and juveniles.

Prisoners held at the City Court lockup are presented for hearings under the Court police‘s supervision.

Human rights violations Up to 1,000 prisoners are presented every day. Since the police have a shortage of handcuffs to accommodate such a large number of people, they often chain them up, in a violation of human rights. They are victims of oppression and brutality, and this treatment has been meted out for decades.

Prisoners have reported bleeding wrists and regularly accuse court police of the torture, but court police officials are hard to find and even harder to talk to whenever the issue comes up.

The City Court lockup in-charge, Inspector Zahoor, could not be found in his office after attempts were made to ask him about the issue. The duty officer, sub-inspector Raza, rejected the allegations, terming them lies.

Prisons IG Muzaffar Alam Siddiqi and Sindh Prisons DIG Nazir Ahmed Kazi did not respond to The Express Tribune despite repeated attempts to get their comments. The PSO to the IG Prisons, Shunail Shah, however, suggested that comments be sought from Syed Munawar Ali Shah, who is also a member of the committee that has drafted a new law on this issue.

Munwar Shah, who is presently serving as Superintendent of District Jail Mirpurkhas, told The Express Tribune that the prison law is being updated to incorporate best practices from various countries regarding the rights of prisoners. He denied that t he new law will grant more facilities to already privileged people inside jails. He did, however, support increasing the powers of jails officials in the new law, saying that ―incorporating best international practices in the new prison law will not only be for prisoners, but is also required administratively.‖

Karachi Bar Association President Naeem Qureshi said cruelty towards prisoners cannot be tolerated, and he will contact the relevant authorities to direct their attention towards the matter. Sindh Home Department Special Secretary (Prisons) Abdul Wahab Memon declined to give his views, saying that he is not the one who handcuffs prisoners and does not know anything about the problem. (By Shakir Sultan The Express Tribune, 04, 28/02/2019)

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Robbers take judge hostage, escape with valuables in Karachi

Police have registered a case and begun investigations into the robbery at the residence of a District South Additional District Judge in Bahadurabad on Thursday morning. The Sindh IGP has sought a report of the incident from the East SSP.

A gang of five armed men broke into a house in Kokan Cooperative Housing Society at 5am by cutting the grill of the kitchen.

Bahadurabad SHO Chaudhry Shahid told The Express Tribune that the family members were awakened and held hostage during the robbery. These included the South Additional District Judge Faiza Khalil, her husband and her mother-in-law.

The robbers stayed in the house for 15 to 20 minutes, during which time they managed to collect Rs100,000 in cash, mobile phones and 15 tola gold, among other things. They then escaped in a car. The SHO said that there were no CCTV cameras installed at the judge‘s house and the servants working at the house used to come only in the day time.

The SHO said that the police have taken fingerprints and other evidence from the place of incident. He added that geo -fencing had also been conducted and expected the police would soon find the criminals.

Police have registered the robbery case on behalf of Khalil and started the investigation. Sindh IGP Syed Kaleem Imam has sought a report from the East SSP.

Robbery gone wrong On the other hand, in a robbery bid that went awry, two men were killed and another injured.

Armed men attempted to rob Abdullah Cold Drink wholesale shop in Godhra Camp, New Karachi industrial area. When the three shopkeepers tried to resist, they opened fire. As a result, 45-year-old Iqbal, son of Abdullah, and 50-year-old Iliyas, son of Yousuf, were severely injured and died during the course of treatment whereas 60-year-old Iliyas, son of Abdullah was injured.

The latter was shifted to a private hospital in a critical condition. One of the men killed and the injured were brothers, while the other deceased was their relative.

Area locals gathered at the place of incident in large numbers along with officials of police and Rangers. The police seized nine bullet shells of a 9mm pistol, one shell of a TT pistol and other evidence from the site of the incident and have started the investigation.

New Karachi DSP Irshad Bhutto told The Express Tribune that six armed men went to the cold drink shop with the intention of robbery. When one of the accused entered the shop, the shopkeepers present inside caught him.

The accused‘s accomplices standing outside started firing straight at the shop and as a consequence, a shopkeeper was injured and two others killed, he said. The armed men then managed to flee the scene, he added.

DSP Bhutto further said that the shopkeepers who were injured and died were residents of New Karachi Sector G -11. He said that the 10 bullet shells would be sent to a laboratory for forensic analysis. (By Our Correspondent The Express Tribune, 04, 01/03/2019)

Uzair Baloch confessed to have killed four ‘missing persons’: police report

The Sindh High Court (SHC) summoned the East Zone deputy inspector-general of police (DIG) to personally appear, while declaring the police report filed in the case of the disappearance of four citizens unsatisfactory.

A two-member-bench, comprising Justice Aftab Gorar and Justice Amjad Ali Sahito, was hearing the plea in which the provincial home department and police submitted the progress report.

According to the report, Uzair Baloch confessed to have killed the four citizens. Baloch‘s confession and the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) report had already been submitted in the court, which revealed that Baloch murdered Constable Muhammad Amin alias Lala, Ghazi Khan, Sher Afzal Khan and Sheraz after kidnapping them.

He kidnapped and killed Muhammad Amin, in order to take revenge from him, in 2011. The bodies of all four persons were thrown into acid. The people who murdered the four persons have also been killed while Baloch is in the army‘s custody.

The petitioner‘s counsel argued that members of a Lyari-based gang, Shahid Bikik and Zakir Dada, who were involved in the kidnapping, were in jail and Baloch is in the custody of Army since the last eight months, so why wasn‘t the investigation do ne before that?

The court declared the police report unsatisfactory and summoned the East Zone DIG to appear in person and ordered the police to submit a report within a month after further investigation. The petitioner had mentioned that the four were kidnapp ed from Karachi Central Jail.

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Ranjhani murder case The same bench accepted the request on Thursday to club together the pleas filed by accused Raheem Shah and brother of Irshad Ranjhani in his murder case.

In the plea filed by Ranjhani‘s brother, his counsel argued that it was feared that the accused might not get punished as the police was not investigating the case properly.

Shah‘s counsel argued, however, that the sections of the anti-terror law, which had been included in the FIR, were wrong. The sections of terrorism were being challenged therefore the pleas should be heard jointly. The court accepted the request to hear all the pleas collectively and adjourned the hearing till March 6.

Illegal govt appointments The SHC sought a report on Thursday on the appointment and posting of former finance secretary Mehdi Shah, Sardar Shah, Zahid Shah and Nazeer Shah after they had entered a plea bargain and voluntarily return of money with the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

A two-member bench, comprising Chief Justice Ahmed Ali Sheikh and Justice Omar Sial, heard the pleas filed by former land secretary Ghulam Mustafa Lund and others related to the appointment and posting of people involved in corruption on government posts.

The Sindh chief secretary submitted the report regarding 36 people posted in different departments. The petitioner‘s counsel argued that the orders passed by Supreme Court were misinterpreted. Chief Justice Sheikh remarked that they wanted to understand the case and then can pass orders accordingly. These officers return money voluntarily after committing corruption. This practice has affected the system a lot.

The court directed the petitioner‘s counsel to mention that when these officials committed corruption and what amount of mone y they submitted in the national treasury. The court sought a report by March 13 and adjourned the hearing.

Baldia factory incident The SHC directed the counsel of Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (PILER) to submit a reply by March 13 regarding the compensation paid to the affected families of Balida factory fire incident.

The court heard the petition filed by PILER against Sindh government for not releasing further compensation to the affected families as per the announcement made by provincial minister Nasir Hussain Shah.

The petitioner stated that Shah on the May 1, 2018 had announced further compensation of Rs560 million for the affected families but to no avail.

Sharjeel Memon’s bail The SHC ordered the petitioner‘s counsel to ensure his presence on the next hearing of the case relating to the return of sur ety money against Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Sharjeel Inam Memon‘s bail.

The hearing was adjourned without any proceeding due to the absence of Memon‘s counsel. Memon had filed the plea for the release of his surety money, amounting to Rs7m. According to the prosecutor, Memon‘s surety against the bail had been seized on judicial orders. The court, directing the petitioner‘s counsel to ensure his presence on next hearing, adjourned the court. (By Our Correspondent The Express Tribune, 05, 01/03/2019)

Saad Aziz jailed for 20 years for attempting to kill American educationist

An antiterrorism court on Thursday handed down 20-year jail term to an Islamic State-inspired graduate, Saad Aziz, for making an attempt on the life of American educationist Debra Lobo.

Saad Aziz, alias Tin Tin, was found guilty of shooting at and woundingMs Lobo, the vice principal of Karachi‘s Jinnah Medical and Dental College, on Shaheed-i-Millat Road in April 2015.

The ATC-XI judge, who conducted trial in the judicial complex inside the central prison, pronounced his verdict reserved earlier after recording the evidence and final arguments from the prosecution and the defence.

In his judgement, the judge noted that the prosecution had successfully proved the charges levelled against the detained accused, Saad Aziz, beyond a shadow of a doubt, as the evidence fully supported the prosecution‘s case.

The judge awarded 10-year imprisonment to the accused for attempted murder under Section 324 of the Pakistan Penal Code. Debra Lobo, hit in the face and a hand, survived the shooting

Furthermore, the detained business graduate was also handed down another 10-year imprisonment for committing an ―act of terror‖ punishable under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.

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According to the prosecution, the veteran educationist was on her way to her residence in the Defence Housing Authority in a car when the attack took place at around 3pm. Although she survived the attack, Ms Lobo suffered two bullet wounds on her hand and face.

A case under Section 324 (attempted murder) and Section 7 (acts of terrorism) was registered against him at the Ferozabad police station.

In his statement, under Section 342 of the CrPC, Saad Aziz denied the allegations put forward by the prosecution against him and claimed his innocence in the present case.

His defence counsel Mohammad Jiwani contended that his client was framed in the present case despite the fact that there was no evidence available to establish his role in the commission of the crime he was accused of.

He further argued that the prosecution claimed to have seized a pistol on a lead given by Saad Aziz after 15 days of his arrest in the present case, which cast serious doubts on the recovery and evidence.

The counsel pointed out that after the order was reserved in the matter, the prosecution had moved an application, under Section 540 (power to summon material witness or examine persons present) of the CrPC, for recording ‗additional‘ evidence since there was no evidence to prove its allegations against the detained accused.

‘Contradictions’ in evidence He further argued that the additional evidence of three police officials was full of contradictions while three reports of the ballistic analysis also failed to establish that the weapon in question was used by Saad Aziz in the commission of the alleged crime.

On the other hand, an assistant prosecutor general for the state contended that the empty casings of bullets, secured from the scene where Ms Lobo was shot, were sent to the forensic science laboratory for a ballistic analysis. They stated that the casings had matched with the 0.9mm calibre pistol which had also been used in the Safoora Goth bus carnage.

The prosecutor further claimed that the same weapon was later recovered on the information given by Aziz, adding that the testimonies of the case‘s investigating officer, the ballistic expert and a police official had fully corroborated the other evidence.

The prosecutor further argued that even an eyewitness had identified Saad Aziz as the primary shooter in the incident, during an identification parade conducted by a judicial magistrate.

Therefore, the court was asked to punish the detained accused for making an attempt on the life of the senior educationist strictly in accordance with the law.

Aziz, a business graduate from a prestigious Karachi institution, and his accomplices were handed over to military authorities in January 2016 to face trial before military courts in 18 cases, including the Safoora Goth bus carnage, murder of Sabeen Mahmud, killing of policemen, attempted murder and carrying explosive substances and illicit weapons.

The military court had sentenced Saad Aziz, Tahir Minhas, Asadur Rehman, Mohammad Azhar Ishrat and Hafiz Nasir Ahmed to death in May 2016 in these cases.

Later, the convicts were handed back to jail authorities to face trial in other cases pending before antiterrorism courts. (By Naeem Sahoutara Dawn, 15, 01/03/2019)

Two ‘robbers’ seen looting people in CCTV footage killed in ‘encounter’

Two alleged robbers were shot dead in an ‗encounter‘ in Federal B Area early on Friday morning, officials said.

Gulberg SHO Rashid Ali said a police party on patrol indicated two suspects riding a motorbike to stop in Block-10. However the motorcyclists sped away and resorted to firing in their bid to flee. The police chased the suspects and returned fire. During the exchange of fire, both the suspects were wounded and arrested, the police added.

They were taken to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, where doctors pronounced them dead on arrival. The incident occurred at around 3.30am.

Later on, with help of fingerprints, the deceased were identified as Asghar Ali, resident of Golimar, and Raheel Farooq, resident of Liaquatabad.

The police record of criminals showed that they had been arrested several times in the past over charges of robberies, encounters and carrying illegal weapons.

Besides, they were also seeing looting a milk shop in Liaquatabad last month and snatching 12 mobile phones from citizens at Chowrangi. The closed-circuit television footage of these crimes had been obtained by investigators. (By The Newspaper's Staff Reporter Dawn, 16, 02/03/2019)

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480 officers volunteered to return ill-gotten money, SHC told

The provincial authorities have informed the Sindh High Court that more than 480 officers from different departments have entered into the voluntary return scheme with the National Accountability Bureau in corruption cases, it emerged on Monday.

According to a compliance report filed by the secretary for the Services, General Administration and Coordination Department (SGA&CD) in the SHC, the school education and literacy department tops the list with its 311 officers/employees having entered into the voluntary return scheme.

The report was submitted in compliance with an earlier SHC order. It had also ruled that those officials who had entered into the voluntary return scheme and made payments should not hold respective public offices till finalisation of the departmental proceedings initiated against them.

The report further said that the relevant departments were directed to initiate disciplinary proceedings. The last such report was filed in May, adding that the order was being implemented by the departments concerned.

It further submitted that 50 officers of the local government, 27 of irrigation, 26 of food, 15 each of finance and works and services departments had also entered into the voluntary return scheme.

Major penalties were imposed on four and minor punishments on 16 while 27 had retired or expired in the school education and literacy department and proceedings were pending against 264, it added.

However, no detail about the action taken against the officers of the local government was available in the report while major penalties were imposed on 11 and minor punishments on five officers of the irrigation department and proceedings pending against seven while four had either retired or expired.

Similarly, major penalties were imposed on 17 and minor punishments on eight officers of the food department and one proceeding was pending while 17 had either retired or expired. (By The Newspaper's Staff Reporter Dawn, 15, 05/03/2019)

Convicted security guard loots 40 bank lockers in Gulshan

Over 40 lockers of a private bank were looted by the guard of a private security firm and his accomplices in Gulshan-i-Iqbal, officials said on Monday.

They said that there were ―serious lapses‖ on part of the bank management and the security company as they hired the suspect guard despite the fact that he had been previously arrested on charges of looting another bank in Central district and handed down four years in prison.

They added that the guard, identified as Kashif Raza, along with his three accomplices broke open over 40 lockers, out of total 80, with the help of cutters and took away cash, gold and other valuables.

The suspects could not enter the bank‘s strongroom, where cash was kept. They also took away the recording of CCTV cameras. Security company hired suspect despite his criminal record

The bank management told the police that they were assessing the exact value of looted cash and valuables.

SSP East Azfar Mahesar told Dawn that security guard Raza was arrested for looting a private bank in North Nazimabad in the past and was sentenced to four-year imprisonment.

He was rehired by the private firm, Askari Guards, and was posted at Limited near Disco Bakery in Gulshan-i-Iqbal.

Despite having a criminal record, the security company hired the guard and the bank management also posted him inside the bank without verifying his credentials, he added.

―There were serious lapses on part of both security company and the bank management and the police authorities have decided to write a letter to them drawing their attention towards negligence,‖ the SSP said.

The officer added that the police would also probe as to how the guard got a job in the firm and was posted at the bank.

The police detained three other guards of the same bank for questioning.

They also conducted raids on the house of the suspect in Gulshan-i-Iqbal and detained his relatives for questioning.

The SSP said that the suspect was a ―drug addict‖ who used heroin and his family members told investigators that they had no connection with him since they abandoned him for being an addict. (By The Newspaper's Staff Reporter Dawn, 15, 05/03/2019)

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Rangers ‘temporarily’ shifted their HQ to Jinnah Courts in 1999, PA told

The Sindh Assembly was on Monday informed that there were some protected buildings in the province, including Jinnah Courts and the building of the Supreme Court‘s Karachi Registry, which housed government offices.

Furnishing a statement and answering the written and verbal queries of the lawmakers in the provincial assembly during Question Hour, Culture, Tourism and Antiquities Minister Syed Sardar Shah said that the provincial government had not formally made any move to get back the possession of Jinnah Courts.

To a written question asked by Grand Democratic Alliance‘s Arif Jatoi, he said that Jinnah Courts was built between June 1922 and June 1933.

The minister said that the building was protected under the Sindh Cultural Heritage (Preservation) Act of 1994 and was property of the Sindh culture department.

A heritage building that houses SC’s Karachi Registry would be turned into a museum

He said that the Jinnah Courts had been constructed by receiving donations from the people as well as local bodies of the province to provide residential facilities to the students who came from across the province to pursue their .

Mr Shah said that the hostel remained a place of high importance during the Pakistan Movement and Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah also visited it.

He said that the building was originally named as Leslie Wilson Muslim Hostel and was later named after the father of the nation after independence.

The minister said that building was transferred to the culture department in 1986 and the Rangers shifted their headquarters to the Jinnah Courts on a ―temporary‖ basis in 1999.

Victoria Museum He said that the building housing the Karachi Registry of the apex court was meant to house a museum known as ―Victoria and Albert Museum‖. He said that the building was originally built in 1887 during the reign of Queen Victoria for the museum.

The minister said that the museum would be housed in the building once it was returned to the provincial government after the shifting of the Karachi Registry to its new location.

To another question, he said that there was a resort at the Keenjhar Lake containing 24 huts and a restaurant where a number of visitors availed themselves of the facilities.

He said that 4,000 to 5,000 people had availed the facility of huts.

To a supplementary question, the minister admitted that a ministerial hut and three other huts were meant for government officers. He said that 12 more huts were being constructed at the resort and they would be ready for use in the next few months.

To a question, asked by opposition member Arsalan Taj, the minister said that the culture department was providing financial support to the needy writers, poets and artists in the shape of endowment funds as well as stipends.

He also gave the breakup of last five years and said that Rs20.237 million was distributed among 179 beneficiaries under the endowment fund.

Besides, he said that Rs24.72m was distributed among 824 beneficiaries as stipends.

In reply to a question posed by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf lawmaker Khurram Sher Zaman, the minister said that the bamboo huts within the buffer zone of the World Heritage Site — Makli necropolis — were built by the Heritage Foundation of Pakistan for conservation works and community engagement.

He said the bamboo huts would be removed as and when conservation work on the site was completed. (By Tahir Siddiqui Dawn, 16, 05/03/2019)

Police officer killed in ‘targeted’ attack in Orangi Town

A police officer who survived an assassination attempt in the past was shot dead in a suspected targeted attack in Orangi Town on Monday, police said.

They added that assistant sub-inspector Rizwan Karim was attacked by gunmen riding a motorcycle near Subhani Masjid in Sector 13 of the neighbourhood.

Orangi SHO Tasawwur Jutt said that the police officer had gone to meet a friend of his and was standing near a shop when the gunmen arrived there. One of them got off the motorbike and opened fire on the ASI and rode away with his accomplice.

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He sustained two critical bullet wounds on the face and was taken to the nearby Sindh Government Qatar Hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead.

The victim was posted at Iqbal Market in Orangi and was in uniform at the time of the shooting.

The victim was wounded in an assassination attempt in 2012 West SSP Shoukat Ali Khatian told Dawn that Rizwan had survived an attempt on his life in 2012 in the limits of the Pirabad police in Orangi. He was wounded in that attack, but another policeman, Mohsin, was martyred. The officer recalled that the past attack on ASI Rizwan was a targeted killing incident.

The investigators have collected from the crime scene two spent bullet casings fired from a 9mm pistol.

SSP Khatian said the police had obtained CCTV footage from the crime scene, which might help them identify the culprits. He said that the incident was being investigated from every aspect, including personal enmity.

However, the city police chief, additional IG Karachi Dr Amir Ahmed Shaikh, told Dawn that ―it appeared that the police officer fell victim to targeted killing‖.

Mr Shaikh added that he had directed the investigators to see the case file and ascertain why a second attempt was made on his life.

The city police chief said the martyred officer had not taken part in the past Karachi operations. Besides, the killing did not appear to be motivated by sectarian considerations.

The Sindh chief minister and the inspector general of police took notice of the incident and sought detailed inquiry reports from the officers concerned.

Dr Amir Shaikh said the martyred officer had also not remained associated with police‘s Counter-Terrorism Department or any other high-profile case. Curiously, on Monday morning ASI Rizwan visited the Iqbal Market police station and for the first time got a pistol issued in his name, said the city police chief.

It indicated the possibility that he might have received ―threats‖. Therefore, the investigators were trying to get his mobile phone‘s forensic analysis. The deceased‘s brother is a serving police inspector in the city.

The police with the help of the CCTV footage of the crime scene have prepared a sketch of the suspected killer who appeared to be fat.

Answering a question about the killing of constable Jehangir Khan in on Saturday night, the city police chief said it was not a targeted killing incident. The suspected killers had been identified. They were involved in petty crimes in the area. He said he hoped that they would be arrested very soon.

Meanwhile, the funeral prayer of the martyred police officer, Rizwan, was held at the police headquarters in Garden. It was attended by Sindh IG Dr Syed Kaleem Imam, Rangers DG Maj Gen Mohammed Saeed and other senior officials of the law enforcement agencies.

Young man shot dead in Garden A young man was shot dead in the Garden East area early on Monday morning allegedly by neighbours over some personal enmity, police said.

They added that Shahzeb, 25, was gunned down near the fish market.

Soldier Bazaar SHO Amin Solangi said the police had registered a murder case against Ali Akbar and his brother.

The officer said the suspect was allegedly under the influence of some drug. He was coming out from the apartment when a scuffle broke out between him and the victim. After an exchange of hot words, the suspect called his brother and they gunned down Shahzeb and fled in a car. The police said they were trying to arrest the suspects. (By Imtiaz Ali 15, 05/03/2019)

‘We also need men to join us in our struggle for women’s rights’

The Aurat March being held to commemorate the International Women‘s Day on March 8 is expected to see a large number of women joining the rally commencing from the Frere Hall lawns here on the day.

This was announced by Hum Aurtein, representing no political party, non-governmental organisation or any particular group but just women from different walks of life who believe in themselves and the social change that they can bring about by joining forces.

The press conference held outside the main entrance to the Empress Market to share their plans for the march on Tuesday included social activists, artists, lawyers, vendors, hawkers, fisherwomen, women from minority communities as well as transgender women.

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Amid the traffic and hustle bustle of the market there was the chanting of slogans such as ‗Aayee, aayee aurat aayee [Here comes the woman]‘, ‗Aao haq ki baat karein, qadam mila ke aagay chalein [Come let‘s match strides as we talk of our rights]‘ and ‗Yaksan kaam, yaksan ujrat [Equal payment for the same kind of work as done by men]‘. Pink, yellow and blue banners and flyers with sketches of women marching for their rights were raised and distributed.

Aurat March planned for 8th ―We call ourselves Hum Aurtein as we represent every woman here no matter what caste, creed or religion she hails from,‖ said classical dancer and social activist Sheema Kermani. ―We are women who work as hard as men and want to be treated equally, and with equal respect. We want to make our own decisions about things such as marriage and children and whether we even want children.‖

10,000 women expected at rally About the upcoming Aurat March, she said that last year saw the gathering of some 5,000 women looking to change the political landscape and this year they are expecting even double the number as they visited many women in areas such as Lyari, Orangi and Korangi in order to increase their awareness of their rights and mobilise them.

Fatima Majeed, representing the fisherfolk community, said she worked as hard as men and wanted to be paid equally for her labour. ―We need to raise our voices where it comes to earning equal wages for equal amount of work. Also, I want to tell others how difficult it gets for us fisherfolk to make ends meet during the two-month-long fishing ban every year,‖ she said.

Sassui Lohar, the daughter of a teacher who went missing some time ago, said that she wanted to raise her voice for all the missing persons and their families here. ―People see us women as weak but even though we don‘t have weapons we can fight for our rights,‖ she said.

Bindiya Rana, representing the transgender community, said they needed to be free and self-sufficient. ―Strong women can lead a strong society,‖ she said.

Pastor Ghazala Shafique, a voice for minority women, pointed towards the injustice of forced conversions of Christian and Hindu girls. She also said that people hailing from the minority communities were deprived of compensations in case of any untoward incident or a hate crime.

Also speaking for minorities, Safina Gill said that they were visiting areas where the minorities were in a majority to make them aware of their rights so that they could stand up for themselves.

Seema Maheshwari, representing the Hindu community, also said that a woman whatever community she hails from is first a woman and a human being.

Speaking about the problems faced by women lawyers, Shumaila Shahani, said that there were no sexual harassment committees in courts. ―We are told that this is so because there have been no complaints of sexual harassment there. Let‘s gather at the Aurat March on March 8 and talk more on this,‖ she said.

Nuzhat Shirin, chairperson of the Sindh Commission on the Status of Women, spoke about making institutions strong so that they could help people find justice through redress mechanisms and implementation of laws. ―We also need men to join us and show solidarity with us in our struggle for women‘s rights,‖ she said.

Jyoti, who represents the women vendors and hawkers of Empress Market, said that they were simple women trying to earn a decent living until they became victims of the anti-encroachment drive. ―I will join the march to tell others about our hardships. I will also demand an alternative place from the government to resume my business which I had inherited from my mother,‖ she said.

Activist Qurrat Ul Ain Mirza also explained that the purpose of holding their press conference at the Empress Market was to acknowledge the struggles of poor women like Jyoti who are some of the worst effected of the unplanned anti-encroachment drive. (By Shazia Hasan Dawn, 15, 06/03/2019)

Revival of discretionary funds

Prime Minister Imran Khan‘s one of the important decisions of banning the discretionary spending on parliamentarians‘ schemes could not withstand the harsh political ground realities for more than six months. Prime Minister Imran Khan in his first cab inet meeting had decided to ban the use of discretionary funds of the President, the Prime Minister and MNAs in view of the new government‘s austerity drive. The decision had been taken after the previous PML-N government had doled out billions of rupees to win over constituencies.

In order to meet these expenditures, the government has now diverted Rs24 billion from CPEC projects and other initiatives for discretionary spending on parliamentarians‘ schemes. On February 19, the Ministry of Planning surrendered Rs24 billion in favour of the Cabinet Division to execute these projects.

Former prime minister Muhammad Khan Junejo had first introduced the concept of discretionary spending with his Prime Minister‘s Special Local Development Programme in 1985. After that every successive government used this avenue to win the loyalties of legislators. Spending on development projects is not a bad idea but a cavalier attitude towards the scarce resources

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The government must review its decision. It is not only against the political ideology of the Pakistan Tehreek -e-Insaf but also a continuation of 1985‘s Pakistan where taxpayers‘ money was used to forward personal agendas. (By Editorial The Express Tribune, 16, 06/03/2019)

‘Era of hiding information from people is gone’

Speakers at a programme held to discuss the Sindh Transparency and Right to Information Act on Wednesday said that the people would find alternative ways and may spread fake news if they were not given proper information.

Stressing the need for providing the people with proactive information, they said that the era of hiding or keeping information from the people was gone.

A non-governmental organisation, Shehri-Citizens for a Better Environment (CBE), organised a workshop, ‗Addressing public service delivery through the Right to Information [RTI]‘ in collaboration with the office of Friedrich Naumann Foundation (FNF) Pakistan here at a local hotel.

It was discussed in the workshop that involvement in the public service delivery and development of citizen-centric government models has been one of the top priorities of various countries across the globe. Globalisation, localisation and information revolution are empowering citizens to become well informed. The right to information is one such effective tool now accepted all over the world. Pakistan also introduced Article 19-A which says that ―every citizen shall have the right of access to information in all matters of public importance subject to regulation and reasonable restrictions imposed by law.‖

Colonial mindsets hinder the facilitation of citizens, says head of provincial information commission

The RTI was made a constitutional right in 2010 through Article 19-A, which was inserted through the 18th Amendment.

―The right to information is everyone‘s right but it is in our culture to clam up and hide things instead of discussing them openly. Opening up can also help us find solutions to our problems as the common man here is constantly seen struggling to find out where to go for what,‖ said Amber Alibhai, the general secretary of Shehri-CBE.

―According to a Karachi Metropolitan Corporation rule of 1935, it is mandatory to put up boards outside all public offices for the public to know about the work going on there and the services being provided along with the timings but if there is no information being provided about the working hours the government servants too would be coming and going to work when they felt like it. And the public going to their offices for their work will be annoyed for being made to waste their time chasing after these people,‖ she said.

She added that in the civilised world there was also a thing like the proactive disclosure of information.

―Proactive disclosure of information is where the information is provided to you without your needing to ask for it. It is like turning on the light in a room to make things visible and clear,‖ she said.

Speaking about ‗Constitutional Rights and Sindh Transparency and Right to Information Act 2016‘, Advocate M. Tariq Mansoor said that government servants were bound to provide the public with information. ―They are duty-bound,‖ he said.

Shehri‘s Sameer Hamid Dodhy further elaborated in his presentation on the Sindh Transparency and Right to Information Act 2016. ―Every citizen can ask for information such as rules, regulations, notifications, circulars, instructions, budget details like expenditures from any public body which runs on your taxes unless it is something that may cause harm to sovereignty and national integrity that includes national defence, security, public order and international relations or cause damage to the economy as a result of premature disclosure and such things,‖ he said.

Finally, Sikandar Ali Hullio, the commissioner of the Sindh Information Commission, spoke about the body that had in fact come about on citizens‘ demand.

―Bureaucratic and procedure hurdles make routine work suffer. But colonial mindsets here are against the facilitation of citizens,‖ he said.

―If you don‘t give citizens proper information, they will find their own path and maybe also spread fake news or disinformation and you will not be able to stop the flow of such wrong information. Therefore it is better to provide them with proactive information,‖ he said.

―The era of hiding or keeping information from people is gone. There is no need to hoard information. So do facilitate people in getting the correct information because knowledge makes you empowered,‖ he concluded.

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Earlier, Amra Javed of Shehri provided a bit of background about her organisation and on how to promote good citizenship and be involved citizens. (By Shazia Hasan Dawn, 15, 07/03/2019)

Ex-IGs oppose restructuring of Superior Services

A group of former police chiefs have expressed concern over reports that the government was looking into a proposal to restructure the Central Superior Services by splitting it into separate service streams.

The proposal has been made by the task force on civil service reforms and government restructuring.

In a meeting in Islamabad, the Association of Former Inspectors General of Police (AFIGP) passed a resolution opposing the proposed restructuring. ―The AFIGP executive committee has expressed concern regarding reports in the media that Central Superior Services are being restructured and reformed into separate service streams by the task force on civil service reforms and government restructuring,‖ said a statement issued by the association after the meeting.

―A new recruitment and induction procedure has been proposed for the police service. This experiment of tinkering with the police management structure in the name of specialisation had been done during the 1950s and 70s. But all attempts had failed to achieve the objectives.

―It will be a fallacy to repeat the same experiment and to expect a different result,‖ the statement said.

The police force, the AFIGP body added, was an all Pakistan federal service and protected by constitutional provisions under Article 240 which ensured integration of federating units through functions assigned to this service.

―The proposed reforms will only help in the localisation of policing functions. The reforms and restructuring must be undertaken with the active involvement of all stakeholders, including police and a wider cross-section of society,‖ it added.

The executive committee of the body includes Iftikhar Rashid, Afzal Shigri, Tariq Khosa, Mohib Asad, Saeed Khan, Shaukat Javed, Saud Gohar, Shahid Nadeem and Kamaludin Tipu. (By The Newspaper's Staff Reporter Dawn, 03, 07/03/2019)

Consumer courts not fully functional owing to lack of facilities, awareness

The newly established consumer courts across the province have yet to become fully functional due to non-availability of required facilities as well as lack of awareness about their existence, it emerged on Sunday.

Recently, the provincial government set up 29 consumer courts at the district level as required under Section 27(1) of the Sindh Consumer Protection Act, 2014.

Sindh High Court Chief Justice Ahmed Ali M Shaikh appointed civil judges and judicial magistrates as presiding officers of the new special courts in the province.

The CJ also directed all the district judges to accommodate and arrange infrastructure and staffs for the time being for smooth functioning of these courts.

In the absence of consumer councils, the establishment of consumer courts termed a job half done

Six consumer courts have been set up in Karachi‘s as many districts — East, West, Central, South, Korangi and Malir — since the city had the largest consumer base and head offices of local as well as multinational companies and firm.

Easy litigation ―Filing a case in a consumer court is as simple as just submitting an application against a shopkeeper, or a retailer, etc,‖ said Karachi Bar Association‘s Vice President Advocate Abid Feroze. ―Although, majority of the people think that starting a litigation means spending hundreds of thousands in professional fee for lawyers, filing a case does not even require the complainant to engage a lawyer,‖ he told Dawn.

―There is no court fee charged while the complainant can plead the case in person, if he/she chose so,‖ he added.

However, judicial and prosecution sources told Dawn that the consumer courts in Karachi‘s East, West, Central and Korangi districts were yet to be fully functional due to lack of proper facilities, staff, infrastructure, etc.

The sources said that there were no courtrooms for the judges of the consumer courts except the one in South district where the consumer court had been functioning in a proper, well-furnished courtroom with staff and other infrastructure facilities.

In East district, the judge of the consumer court, Civil Judge and Judicial Magistrate Javed Ahmed Korejo, got no courtroom.

―The judge is temporarily sharing the chamber of another civil judge and judicial magistrate,‖ a KBA representative said.

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In Korangi, the consumer court had been temporarily set up in an already existing courtroom.

―Two new courtrooms are being constructed separately to accommodate the consumer courts in East and Korangi districts. Once the new courtrooms are fully furnished, both the consumer courts would be shifted there on a permanent basis,‖ said a staffer.

In Central, the consumer court was set up in a room located on the third floor. The courtroom lacked proper furniture and other infrastructure facilities and the court remained ―almost dysfunctional because of lack of infrastructure‖, a frustrated staffer said.

Courts in Karachi understaffed The judicial sources said that the consumer courts in Karachi were understaffed, as one clerk, one court reader and one naib qasid each had been provided.

No bailiff, who plays an important role in communication between courts and contesting parties, has been assigned to some courts, said a staffer.

This is in contrast with the fact that usually the court of a civil judge and judicial magistrate is provided with two clerks, a reader, two naib qasids and a bailiff.

Official statistics suggested that only a few cases had been filed since the courts became somehow functional after appointments of judges in mid-January.

Figures showed that in Karachi, only eight cases had so far been filed in two consumer courts under the Sindh Consumer Protection Act, 2014. District-East consumer court has five cases pending and District-South has three cases pending. All the cases are in their initial stage.

No case filed in 21 districts Not a single case was filed in the consumer courts of districts West, Central, Korangi and Malir.

In other courts of Sindh, the Dadu consumer court has two cases; Ghotki (one case), Hyderabad (two cases), Mirpurkhas (two cases) and Tando Muhammad Khan (one case).

No case has been filed in the consumer courts of 17 other districts —Badin, Jacobabad, Jamshoro, Khairpur, Qambar-Shahdadkot, Kashmore-Kandhkot, Larkana, Matiyari, Naushero Feroze, Shaheed Benazirabad, Sanghar, Shikarpur, Sukkur, Tando Allayhar, Tharparkar-Mithi, Thatta and Umerkot.

Govt yet to set up consumer councils While the Pakistan Peoples Party-led provincial government passed the pro-consumer law to protect their rights, it kept dragging its feet for four years to set up the consumer courts under one pretext or so until the Sindh High Court kept issuing directives in this regard during rounds of hearings on a constitutional petition.

Advocate Tariq Mansoor, who had had approached the court against non-implementation of the Sindh Consumers Protection Act, 2014, termed the establishment of the consumer courts a job half done.

―The government has finally set up consumer courts, but it is still required to set up consumer councils at the district level as well, which are supposed to create awareness among the masses on the consumers‘ rights and availability of the judicial forum to seek remedies.‖ (By Naeem Sahoutara Dawn, 13, 11/03/2019)

Builder, others get pre-arrest bail in six labourers’ death case

A sessions court on Tuesday granted interim pre-arrest bail to five suspects, including owners of an under-construction building from where six labourers fell and died allegedly after the lift buckled.

Police have booked the owner, Mohammed Amin Patel, his partners Moosa Iqbal of the contractor engineering firm (Alaf Engineering), Irfan Rehman of the contractor firm of glasses/lift provider (Ammonium Glass), builder Mohammad Iqbal, Abdul Aziz Memon, Ameer Ali and Mohammad Munir Memon in the case.

Six labourers — Mohammed Asad, Faisal Islam, Nasir Shamshad, Musab, Abdul Rehman and his brother Riaz Khan — fell from the 13th floor of the under-construction high-rise in Clifton‘s Block 7 on March 9 while installing glass panels with the help of a lift fitted with a trolley when its rope broke.

On Monday, five of the six suspects moved their pre-arrest bail applications before Additional District and Sessions Judge (South) Mukesh Kumar.

The sixth suspect, Irfan Rehman, had already been in custody.

Their counsel submitted that the police booked their clients in the present case registered under Sections 322 (punishment for qatl- bis-sabab, or manslaughter) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code, which both are bailable offences.

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They submitted that the applicants wanted to surrender before the trial court, but they apprehended their arrest by the police.

The counsel requested the court to admit the applicants of bail before arrest to enable them to surrender before the court concerned and join investigations.

After hearing arguments from the prosecutor, the judge granted interim pre-arrest bail to the applicants against a surety bond of Rs100,000 each till March 16.

They were directed to appear on the next date for confirmation of their interim bail or otherwise.

The court also issued a notice to the investigating officer of the case with a direction to appear along with police papers on the next date.

According to contents of the FIR, precious human lives were lost due to ―substandard material and lack of precautions and safety measures and refusal of treatment and negligence‖ of the suspects.

The complainant, Sub-Inspector Mohammad Riaz, stated that they were on routine patrol in the area when they heard cries of workers from the 13th floor of the under-construction building as the lift twisted and they fell to the ground. He said that he and other policemen rushed to the spot and saw that three workers had already died while three others were lying injured.

As police shifted the bodies and injured to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, doctors declared five workers dead on arrival while the sixth one died during treatment.

A case under Sections 322 and 34 (common intention) of the PPC was registered against the building owners, contractor of glasses and lift provider on behalf of the state at the Boat Basin police station. (By The Newspaper's Staff Reporter Dawn, 15, 13/03/2019)

Four ‘rotten apples’ dismissed from police service

Karachi Police have dismissed four police personnel from service for harassing and manhandling a couple at Sea View on Tuesday. Though a common occurrence at the city‘s most frequented beach, where couples often complain of harassment by police personnel, this was perhaps the first time that such decisive action was taken against the personnel.

The incident came to light on Monday morning, when a video went viral on social media, showing a couple engaged in an altercation with police personnel, at least one of whom was in uniform. ―I was standing with my wife when they [policemen] came and demanded money while pointing guns [at us],‖ says the man, filming the altercation. The policeman, meanwhile, is seen manhandling a woman and trying to snatch the cell phone from the man recording the video. The incident, according to South Zone SSP Pir Muhammad Shah, occurred on Sunday morning.

By the next day, the video had made the rounds on social media and was picked up and aired by several mainstream news channels, prompting the Karachi Police chief AIG Dr Amir Sheikh to take notice.

Black sheep Addressing a press conference on Monday, SSP Shah, flanked by Clifton SP Suhai Aziz, shared details of what he termed as a ―one-off‖ incident and announced that the four personnel involved in the episode had been sacked.

According to SSP Shah, three of the policemen were found to be directly involved in the incident. He lamented that a few policemen, who were ―bad apples‖ brought a bad name to the whole department.

Speaking about the incident itself, the SSP briefed that it occurred on Sunday morning near the Dolmen Mall at Sea View, where the police personnel attempted to extort a couple. The latter, in turn, had recorded a video of the incident, which was shared widely on social media, he said.

The SSP said that one of the officials, Assistant Sub-Inspector Zulfiqar Ali., was not part of the South Police and had been transferred from Boat Basin Police Station due to an earlier complaint against him. On Sunday, ASI Zulfiqar, who was deputed on Pakistan Super League security duty, had abandoned his duty and had come to Sea View to carry out his activities. ―They say old habits die hard,‖ said the SSP.

He added that the other policemen seen with him in the video were Ahmed Khan and Zahid Ali. They too have been dismissed from service. ―A fourth policeman, Qurban Ali, was not on the spot but is hand in gloves with these three,‖ said SSP Shah, adding that the four policemen used to work as a gang to harass and extort couples. Ahmed Khan, Zahid and Qurban were deputed to the Boat Basin Police Station.

SSP Shah said that police constable Ahmed Khan had been assigned duty at the mausoleum of Abdullah Shah Gazi, Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Zulfiqar was appointed at Security-2 [District South], while Constable Furqan was to perform his duty in Clifton Block 2, but all three policemen had abandoned their duties and had gone to Sea View.

SP Aziz later issued a notification of the dismissal of the four officials.

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Citizens should come forward Addressing the press conference, SSP Shah asked citizens who faced such ―unfortunate behaviour‖ by the police to come forward and report their ordeal.

In December last year, AIG Sheikh had written a letter to the DIGs of all three zones, asking them to issue instructions to subordinate staff not to demand the marriage certificate from any couple and refrain from harassing them. The letter had warned that departmental action would be taken against anyone found doing the same.

Charges denied Meanwhile, the dismissed police officials claimed that the incident was being portrayed in a negative light when all they had tried to do was help the couple. Ahmed Khan, one of the personnel seen in the video, told the media that he was at Sea View with his young son on Sunday morning, when he saw the couple arguing. When he tried to intervene, the woman started fighting with him. Khan claimed that he hadn‘t asked for any bribe, adding that he had only drawn the weapon to scare them.

Meanwhile, ASI Zulfiqar said that he was on PSL duty when he was told that the video had gone viral. He said that he had gone to Sea View with friends on Sunday when he heard some commotion as he sat on the chairs having a cold drink. He had merely tried to intervene, he said, but the husband and wife made the video. (By Sajid Rauf The Express Tribune, 04, 13/03/2019)

Four policemen sacked for harassing couple at Seaview

The Karachi police on Tuesday dismissed four policemen from service for harassing and manhandling a couple at Seaview when they refused to pay extortion to the men in uniform.

Speaking at a press conference at his office, SSP South Pir Mohammed Shah said that the four policemen were dismissed after initial investigations into a video that went viral, showing them manhandling a woman at Seaview and also thrashing her husband who was trying to record their action with his mobile phone.

He said that Assistant Sub-Inspector Zulfiqar Ali and constables Ahmed Khan, Zahid and Qurban were sacked.

―The incident actually took place on Sunday morning and three policemen were directly involved in the incident, bringing a bad name to the entire force,‖ he said. ―ASI Zulfiqar Ali left his duty and came to Seaview. We have zero-tolerance policy when it comes to harassment [involving] personnel of the law-enforcement agency.‖

A video went viral on social media and was then aired by TV channels showing a policeman in uniform manhandling a woman and trying to snatch the mobile phone of a man who was making the video.

―I was standing with my wife when they [policemen] came and demanded money while pointing guns [at us],‖ the man said in the video.

Later, it emerged that there were total four policemen and one of them was in civvies. They were patrolling on private motorbikes and spotting couples.

The SSP said: ―Initial investigation reveals that the four policemen used to work as a gang to harass and extort couples.

―We appeal to the people who faced such unfortunate behaviour by the police to come forward and report their ordeal. We assure them that strict action would be taken against those involved. It‘s not the first time that the Karachi police have taken stern action against its officials since four personnel of the Police Qaumi Razakars (PQR) force were earlier arrested and punished for extorting money from couples at Seaview.‖

14 held across city Pakistan Rangers, Sindh, claimed to have arrested 14 suspects during raids in various parts of the city.

A statement issued by the paramilitary force said that the suspects were arrested during raids in Model Colony, Sharif Goth, Quaidabad, Landhi and Mehmoodabad.

―The suspects arrested included Azfar Shaikh, Kashif, Aqib, Ali, Raja, Imad Hassan, Nasir, Junaid Wali Siddiqui, Babar Masih, Robison, Harry, Yashwa alias Lal, Salman and Hashir,‖ it said. ―The arrested suspects were involved in various cases of robberies and street crimes.‖

It said that the Rangers personnel also recovered arms and ammunition from their possession. The suspects were later handed over to police for further legal proceedings, it added. (By Our Staff Reporter Dawn, 15, 13/03/2019)

Errant policemen

THE police in this country suffer from an image problem, and every so often incidents make the headlines revealing just why there is such a massive trust deficit between the law enforcers and the citizens.

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Four policemen in Karachi were dismissed from service on Tuesday after a video emerged of them harassing a couple at the city‘s Sea View beach.

The incident reportedly occurred on Sunday, and after the video went viral, police authorities moved in to take action against the errant cops.

The video is quite disturbing, as it shows the thuggish policemen in uniform manhandling a woman. The man making the video said the lawbreaking cops approached him and his wife and demanded money, while pointing guns at them.

Higher authorities in the police have done the right thing by taking action against such individuals, while Clifton SP Sohai Aziz, in whose jurisdiction the incident occurred, was absolutely correct in emphasising while talking to the media that police officers ―are not supposed to engage in moral policing‖.

It is a sad fact that in a city that suffers from a high crime rate, many policemen are more interested in extorting money from couples or shaking down motorists and bikers than curbing crime.

Some men in uniform are apparently not motivated to protect and to serve, but, instead, to harass the public.

The only way to address this malaise is to take strict disciplinary action against those found indulging in unlawful behaviour.

Moreover, the force requires more women officers, such as the current Clifton SP, to sensitise the police and make it a more professional force.

When policemen break the law, they give a bad name to the whole force, and the sacrifices of many honest officers who have laid down their lives in the line of duty are forgotten.

Action against black sheep in the police force needs to be a constant process, and there must be zero tolerance for the sort of atrocious behaviour witnessed recently in Karachi. (By Editorial Dawn, 08, 14/03/2019)

NAB to file referrence against Mustafa Kamal

The National Accountability Bureau informed the Sindh High Court on Thursday that it was going to file a reference against former Nazim Mustafa Kamal and 11 others who are accused of illegal allotment of 5,000 square feet of land in Karachi‘s coastal area.

This information was given to the bench, headed by the Chief Justice Ahmed Ali Sheikh and comprising Justice Umar Sial, while it was hearing the bail pleas of former Director-General of the Sindh Building Control Authority Iftekhar Qaimkhani, Mumtaz Haider, Nazeer Zardari and others in the case of illegal allotment of land in coastal area.

As the NAB informed about its intention to file a reference against former city Nazim Mustafa Kamal and 11 others, the bench ordered the NAB to submit a report on May 2, after filing the reference.

The investigation officer informed the bench that the inquiry against the accused has been completed and the matter has been forwarded to the headquarters for filing the reference.

The land was initially given on lease to hawkers and shopkeepers in 1980. But DJ Builders acquired all the land on lease in 2005. Former city Nazim Mustafa Kamal illegally permitted the builders to construct high rise building on the land. Mustafa Kamal has been nominated as the accused and his statement has also been recorded, said the investigation officer.

Korangi land case The SHC summoned the Director-General of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to personally appear before it on March 20, to explain his department‘s position in a case relating to the illegal allotment of 350 acres of land in Korangi district of Karachi.

The directive was given by a two-member-bench comprising Chief Justice Ahmed Ali Sheikh and Justice Umar Sial while hearing a plea filed by Agha Asghar Ali against the NAB inquiry about the illegal allotment of 350 acres of land in Korangi.

Petitioner‘s counsel argued that the NAB had filed the reference against his client on the accusation from which the anti - corruption department had already cleared him.

Anti-Corruption Department filed the case against former minister Imtiaz Sheikh and others in 2004-05 due to some political motives, said the counsel adding that the court, however, released all the accused in this case.

The NAB has again filed the reference against the petitioner for the same case. ―No witness has testified in the subordinate court against my client being involved in the case,‖ said the counsel, maintaining that the two cases filed on the same accusation were contrary to Article 13 of the , therefore the petitioner should be released by annulling the reference.

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The court adjourned the hearing and summoned the NAB DG to personally appear on March 20 for the explanation of this situation.

Thatta land case The same bench, while hearing a case of the transfer of 134 acres of land, directed the NAB to present land (transactions) record of Thatta since 1990.

The bench inquired how the NAB initiated an inquiry into the case while there was no complainant against the accused, Irshad Shah and Nazeer Shah.

Chief Justice inquired, ―if anyone files a false complaint against NAB‘s investigation officer or director, would the NAB start an inquiry against them also? How could the court believe the investigation officer to be honest. Who is the Director of NAB? Summon him.‖

NAB Sindh Director replied that he was the director. Chief Justice inquired, ―tell the court that which land is being talked about and what is the case?‖ Tariq Khan, however, failed to give details about the case. Chief Justice asked, ―what is your duty? Do you come in the court to take rest?‖ Court adjourned the hearing till April 9, and sought the records of land of Thatta from NAB since 1990.

Report sought While hearing a case of accumulation of illegal assets against Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader, Ghulam Qadir Palejo, the same bench ordered the NAB to submit a progress report about the inquiry in the case by March 30.

The investigation officer informed the court that investigations were carried out against Palejo for making assets beyond means but nothing was proved.

Chief Justice remarked, ―if such is the status, you should give it in writing.‖ Investigation officer further informed the co urt that a decision to close the inquiry against Palejo will be made soon.

The petitioner, challenging the NAB action, had maintained that the inquiry against Ghulam Qadir Palejo has been continuing for the past two years but no evidences have been found against him.

Illegal appointments A prosecutor informed the same bench that an inquiry in illegal appointments in Sindh Small Industries Corporations has since been completed and the same has been forwarded to the NAB headquarters for the filing of a reference.

The bench directed the NAB officials to submit the report after filing the reference till May 2.

Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan leader Rauf Siddiqi and others have been nominated as accused in the case, said the prosecutor, adding that NAB had gathered enough evidence to prove its case of illegal appointments against Rauf Siddiqi and others. (By Our Correspondent The Express Tribune, 05, 15/03/2019)

Sea Watch - a new police unit to patrol the seaside

South Zone Police has established a new unit named Sea Watch which will be made functional from next week. The purpose of this new unit is to provide security to citizens visiting the Sea View beach. There will be around 12 policemen deployed in t his unit. They will patrol the seaside for 24 hours along with troops on horseback.

This decision comes in light of the recent untoward incident at Sea View whereby police officials misbehaved with a married couple under the guise of moral policing. It was later revealed that the policemen reportedly engaged in harassment and extortion of couples.

The four policemen involved in the incident were dismissed on March 12 after videos showing the policemen manhandling and harassing the couple went viral on social media. Three out of four of those officials have been arrested while one is still at large.

South SSP Pir Muhammad Shah informed The Express Tribune that this unit will also ensure no police officer who is supposed to be on duty elsewhere is present at Sea View. He confirmed that 12 young officers will be deployed in this unit and police pickets will be set up at two points along the promenade.

The unit will also serve to raise awareness among people against bathing in the deep end of the sea and discourage littering at the seaside. The officials in this unit will be provided wireless walkie-talkies, torches and other facilities, he added. The SSP confirmed that the unit will be made functional from next week. (By Our Correspondent The Express Tribune, 05, 16/03/2019)

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Court wants implementation of Sindh Arms Act

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) once again issued notices to the Home secretary on Saturday regarding the provision of weapons, bullets and licences to terrorists. The court also directed the Anti-Violent Crime Cell (AVCC) SSP to appear before the court with a report.

The accused appeared before the court. The investigation officer (IO), DSPs of Saddar, Preedy and Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) also appeared before the court.

The FSL DSP presented a report which maintained that neither had the dealer ever sent them empty bullet shells for record nor had they received any orders in this regard from the higher authorities.

The court expressing discontentment issued a notice to Home secretary once again and directed him to present a report on action taken against those violating Section 4-A of the Sindh Arms Act.

Section 4-A of the Sindh Arms Act deals with the ballistic signature, whereby the arms dealer must provide biometric verification details as well as copies of the CNIC of the purchaser to the FSL for record-keeping. Further, the arms dealer must ―provide the FSL two empty cartridges fired from the weapon purchased for registration of ballistic signature‖.

The court also directed Saddar DSP Kunwar Asif to present a report on the particulars regarding the weapons dealer. The court further directed all relevant authorities to a present a report on March 26.

In the previous hearing, the court had also directed the home department to present a report. In its verdict, the court inqui red about how many dealers were in violation of Section 4-A and the number of dealers the department had taken action against.

The court remarked that despite the court‘s verdict, none of the departments, apart from FSL, had presented any report.

According to the police, two accused, Imran Niazi and Saeed Nawaz, were arrested from MA Jinnah Road on January 1. Weapons and licences were seized from their possession. During the investigation, the accused confessed that with the help of registered weapon dealers they provide weapons, bullets and licenses to terrorists.

The challan names staff of the South and East deputy commissioners‘ offices as well as the arms branch for their involvement in the crime. Weapon dealers and nine others of the DC office staff have been arrested. All the accused are on bail now. More than seven accused are fugitives in the case.

Randhawa murder case An ATC issued a notice to the magistrate who recorded the confessional statement of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) worker Kazim Abbas Rizvi, accused in the Naimat Ali Randhawa murder case, under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. Rizvi and another accused, Noman, who is also an MQM worker, were produced before the court.

The lawyer for Rizvi, Javed Chathari, cross-examined the magistrate‘s statement. During the cross-examination, the magistrate, Asif Ahmed, said that he did not record the statement of the accused.

At the last hearing, the magistrate had said that he recorded the accused‘s statement five to six years ago, but he couldn‘t recall whether the accused was the same man standing in the witness box.

The court issued a notice to a magistrate recording the statement and adjourned the hearing till March 20.

The court has declared three MQM men as absconders in this case. These include Azizullah, Abdullah alias Danish and Ghufran alias Sindhi. According to the police, the accused opened fire on Randhawa in September 2013 in North Nazimabad and killed him. The victim‘s son, Tauqeer Randhawa, was also injured in the firing incident. (By Nasir Butt The Express Tribune, 04, 17/03/2019)

Model courts set up in Sindh to decide old murder, narcotics cases within three months

Sindh High Court Chief Justice Ahmed Ali M. Shaikh on Monday established a model criminal trial court in each judicial district of the province for timely disposal of old murder and narcotics cases.

According to a statement issued by the SHC, consequent to the decision of the National Judicial Policy Making Committee, the model criminal trial courts were being set up keeping in view articles 37(d) and 10-A of the Constitution.

The status of model court has been assigned to the court of first additional district and sessions judge across the province apart from Tando Mohammad Khan, where the district and sessions judge will preside over such a court, it added.

The statement further said that these were time-bound criminal courts and their objective was to deal with old murder and narcotics cases on a day-to-day basis and these matters would be decided within three months.

In order to confer the powers to deal with narcotics cases, wherever necessary, the federal and provincial governments have been asked to do the needful enabling the model courts to try such cases expeditiously.

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The SHC also asked the district and sessions judges to gradually transfer such cases to the model courts for trial, adding that the chief justice desired that in the next phase, the concept of model courts would be extended further for civil, family and rent matters as well as the cases falling in other categories by establishing such courts. One more model court in each district of Sindh is also likely to be launched in the near future, it concluded. (By The Newspaper's Staff Reporter Dawn, 16, 19/03/2019)

SBC opposes empowering police to decide applications about filing FIRs

The Sindh (SBC) on Monday expressed reservations over a decision recently made by the National Judicial Policy Making Committee (NJPMC) to empower police to decide applications regarding registration of FIRs instead of approaching the courts first and urged the NJPMC to review and withdraw the decision.

It maintained that major changes to civil/criminal procedure and the justice system should only be made after consulting necessary stakeholders, including bar councils and associations, adding that such changes could only be made through parliament.

The SBC in a statement said that its executive committee met on Monday presided over by its vice chairman Ziaul Hasan and deliberated on the recent decision of the NJPMC in which it was decided that applications under Section 22-A of CrPC should not be entertained by courts unless accompanied by a decision of the relevant district SP.

It contended that the decision was contrary to the law and was not in the public interest and, adding that a five-judge bench of the Supreme Court had held in Younas Abbas verses sessions judge Chakwal (PLD 2016 SC 581) that the power of justice of peace to direct the police to register a criminal case under Section 21-A of CrPC was not administrative, executive or ministerial in nature, but possessed a judicial character.

―Moreover, when Section 22-A of CrPC itself does not lay down any precondition to filing or entertainment of a case there-under, it is not possible for a policymaking body like the NJPMC to impose such a precondition by adding or supplementing the language of the statute. Such a change could only [be] brought through a legislative change by parliament,‖ it added.

The statement further said that the refusal by police to lodge a case was one of the common grievances of public and to deprive such people without a remedy in courts and leave them at the mercy of the district SPs was unjust and hindered their right to access to justice.

It pointed out that the NJPMC had not given any timeline to the SPs concerned for passing a decision on an application for registration of FIR and therefore, an aggrieved citizen could be forced to wait for months while his or her application was pending before the SP (complaint cell), but the applicant could not be able to approach the court until the SP passed an order on it.

―Making such major decisions unilaterally without seeking the input of the legal fraternity creates mistrust and unnecessary problems in the administration of justice and should be avoided,‖ it added.

The SBC unanimously resolved to place such reservation before the chief justice of Pakistan, who heads the NJPMC, and members of the body for immediate review and withdrawal of its directives issued on March 11. (By The Newspaper's Staff Reporter Dawn, 16, 19/03/2019)

Police complaint centres receive 7,979 grievances in Jan, Feb

Police complaint centres, established across Sindh under the directives of the Supreme Court to ease burden on the district judiciary particularly pertaining to matters of civil nature and complaints regarding police behaviour, have received over 7,000 complaints during the months of January and February, it emerged on Tuesday.

The complaints were related to disputes on account of various reasons and undesirable attitude of police with the general public. According to the police‘s data reviewed by Dawn as many as 6,229 complaints were lodged in January 2019 while 1,750 more complainants were received till Feb 28.

To reduce burden on judiciary, former IG asks police not to detain people in family disputes, crimes of ordinary nature

There were a total of 7,979 cases out of which 1,961 cases were disposed of while 6,018 cases were still pending, according to official sources.

The sources revealed that out of the total complaints, 75 per cent were of general nature pertaining to civil matters, family disputes, land disputes, agriculture disputes, revenue matters and money transaction issues.

However, 25pc complaints were against the attitude of police.

Most of the complaints against the police were related to non-registration of FIRs.

Police asked to register FIRs without fear

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Meanwhile, participants in a meeting chaired by IGP Sindh Dr Syed Kaleem Imam recently were informed that there was a total of 39 police complaint cells/centres established in Sindh under the orders of the apex court.

The provincial police chief vowed that non-registration of FIRs or use of delaying tactics by the police would not be tolerated.

―There would be no place in the police department for such officers who don‘t register an FIR or adopt delaying tactics,‖ observed Mr Imam while addressing the officers.

Former IG of Balochistan, Tariq Khosa, all Additional IGs, DIGs, SSPs and others attended the videoconference meeting held at the Central Police Office in Karachi.

The participants were given a briefing regarding the public complaints redress mechanism.

It was stated that as many as 39 complaint centres had been established at police range/district levels where SSPs/DSPs had been assigned to perform duty to address peoples‘ grievances.

The IG observed that the police officers should not think that by registration of FIRs pertaining to crimes, the crime graph would go up and questions would be raised about their performance.

Mr Imam directed that registration of FIRs was imperative in order to eliminate crimes and take the criminals to task through effective investigation of cases.

He revealed that the complaint mechanism would not only be linked with the IG office/CPO in Karachi, but it would also be linked with the judiciary online.

Its purpose would be to address complaints at police station level and ensure effectiveness of the judicial steps.

―The judiciary [is] also our part; therefore, the police should seek help of lawyers/judiciary so that overall steps against crimes should be effective and result-oriented.‖

He pointed out that the complaint cells would be centralised and computers had been provided to such cells.

DIG headquarters Abdul Khalique Shaikh informed the participants in the meeting that standard operating procedures for redressing complaints of the people had been sent to the centres.

Former IG Tariq Khosa pointed out that family disputes and issues of ordinary nature were bailable offences, therefore, the police officers instead of detaining the people should release them on bail as it would considerably reduce burden of cases on the judiciary.

Mr Khosa, who had also remained a member of the police reforms committed formed by the Supreme Court, said that the apex court had directed setting up complaints cells in all four provinces, but Sindh had taken the lead in this regard because all three other provinces and the federal government had given task of preparing such mechanism to the Sindh police.

He recalled that the Sindh police had prepared recommendations, which were submitted to the apex court. Therefore, it was the responsibility of the Sindh police to set a precedent for redressing peoples‘ grievances to be followed by other provinces. (By Imtiaz Ali Dawn, 15, 20/03/2019)

IGP says police empowered to decide pleas for FIR to end ‘frivolous’ complaints

Inspector General of Police Dr Syed Kaleem Imam on Wednesday said instead of arresting a person on the basis of a mere complaint against him the Sindh police had been told to act only if they got incriminating evidence.

He said that only redressal mechanism under Section 22-A of the Criminal Procedure Code was being corrected/improved on the directives of the Supreme Court to end ―frivolous‖ complaints to reduce burden on the judiciary.

The IGP had prepared recommendations on behalf of the police on the directions of the judiciary and submitted them before the apex court to address a host of issues ranging from dealing with people‘s grievances to improving investigation and accountability of the police, etc.

Police told to not arrest anyone without incriminating evidence

However, when the National Judicial Policy Making Committee (NJPMC) of the SC took a decision to empower police to decide applications/complaints regarding registration of FIRs, lawyers expressed their reservations as they feared that the people would be left at the mercy of the police.

Talking to Dawn on Wednesday, IG Imam explained that the power of courts under Section 22-A was not being abolished, but the apex court wanted that all existing options should be exhausted before approaching district courts/justices of peace for lodging of FIRs.

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He said that most of the complaints were being lodged to ―settle personal score, exploitation, getting monetary benefit‖.

Citing the data of complaints lodged in district courts in 2018 in Sindh, he pointed out that total 19,332 complaints were lodged and of them, 14,015 complaints/applications were disposed of without registration of FIRs.

Over 70 per cent complaints were disposed of on the directions of the courts and only 5,317 FIRs were registered.

Out of the 5,317 complaints, whose FIRs were registered in Sindh on the courts‘ directions, two per cent were related to murders, 3pc to attempted murders, 6pc abduction, 1pc kidnapping/kidnapping for ransom, 5pc theft, 1pc rape, 1pc against police high- handedness, 6pc dacoity/robbery and 75pc were related to vehicle snatching/theft, burglary, other local and special law.

He said only 1,973 cases were approved by the courts, 141 cases were still under investigation and 3,203 cases were pending trial. Talking about status of the 1,973 approved cases, the IGP said that 396 cases were A Class (in which suspects are untraceable), 553 were B Class (bogus) and 1,024 cases were cancelled by the courts (52pc).

―It means these complaints/cases were unnecessary burden on the judiciary, waste of time and waste of money,‖ he claimed.

Talking about complaints lodged by people at recently established complaint cells under the SC directions across Sindh during the last two months, the IGP pointed out that out of total 7,979 complaints received, 1,961 were disposed of by the police. (By Imtiaz Ali Dawn, 15, 21/03/2019)

Two killed as Mufti Taqi survives attempt on life

Renowned Islamic scholar Mufti Taqi Usmani, a former judge of the Federal Shariat Court and brother of Mufti Rafi Usmani, and his family survived a gun attack on two cars that left a police guard and a driver dead and two others wounded in Gulshan-i-Iqbal on Friday, police said. The police saw the ambush on the 75-year-old vice president of Karachi and Fiqa academy in Jeddah, , as a conspiracy not only to sabotage peace in the metropolis but also to trigger chaos across the country.

―The motive [for the shootings] appeared to be bigger than sectarianism or terrorism,‖ said Karachi police chief Dr Amir Ahmed Shaikh.

Mufti Taqi was on his way to deliver the Friday sermon at the Baitul Mukarram mosque on University Road when four gunmen riding two motorbikes opened fire on his car on the NIPA flyover ramp at around 12:30pm, Gulshan SP Tahir Noorani told Dawn.

The officer said the Mufti survived the assassination attempt as he was sitting on the back seat of the car along with his family members, but the shooting left police guard Mohammad Farooq dead and car driver Habib wounded. The attackers also shot at another car behind his vehicle, leaving driver Sanober Khan dead and a religious scholar, Amir Shahab, hurt, he added.

Religious scholar was on his way to deliver Friday sermon when gunmen sprayed cars with bullets

However, an officer of the Counter-Terrorism Department, Raja Umer Khattab, said the attackers engaged both vehicles at the same time as per initial probe. He said two of the gunmen attacked Mufti Taqi‘s car from the right side and from behind.

Two other attackers opened fire on the other car from the left side, leaving its driver dead and Amir Shahab wounded. The vehicle hit a vendor and came to a stop after bumping into the Chhipa ambulance set-up at NIPA.

Mufti Taqi‘s driver Habib despite having suffered wounds managed to take the car to Liaquat National Hospital where the police guard was pronounced dead.

The other driver, Sanober Khan, and Maulana Amir, who had sustained gunshot wounds, were rushed to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre. Sanober Khan was pronounced dead on arrival, said JPMC‘s executive director Dr Seemin Jamali, adding that five bullets had hit him.

She termed the condition of the other person critical, explaining that he also had sustained multiple gunshot wounds in the chest and head and was put on a ventilator.

The body of the police guard was later shifted to the JPMC for medico-legal formalities. JPMC police surgeon Dr Qarar Ahmed Abbasi said he had sustained six gunshot wounds in the chest and face.

In all, 14 spent bullet casings fired from 9mm pistols were collected from the crime scene, according to the Gulshan SP.

Motive Karachi police chief Additional Inspector General Dr Amir Ahmed Shaikh told Dawn that as per their initial assessment, the motive appeared to be bigger than sectarianism or terrorism.

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The city police chief said the real target was Mufti Taqi, who being a ‗towering personality‘ commanded respect across the country and thus was a ‗soft target‘.

―Its motive appeared to create chaos in Karachi and the country as well,‖ he said.

He also said that militants of a certain sectarian outfit had recently become ―active‖ in the city but they had targeted ―low-profile persons with a particular background‖ in the past.

Dr Shaikh said Karachi had witnessed acts of terrorism, sponsored by foreign elements, aimed at disturbing peace. He said in Friday‘s incident, the police saw a ―bigger conspiracy‖ to trigger chaos across the country.

He said the Sindh home department had established a threat assessment committee on a direction of the Supreme Court comprising representatives of all law enforcement agencies as well as intelligence agencies. He said Mufti Taqi had been provided two police guards, as he had not received any threat.

Wifaq-ul-Madaris stance Wifaq-ul-Madaris-Al-Arabia, Pakistan, an organization of all seminaries in the country, said the assassination attempt was regrettable and condemnable whose motive should be explained to the nation and elements behind it should be taken to task.

―It was a matter of concern that a non-controversial and highly educated personality was attacked,‖ the organisation added.

Leaders of the Wifaq-ul-Madaris namely Mufti Rafi Usmani (Mufti Taqi‘s elder brother), Maulana Dr Abdul Razzak Iskander, Maulana Anwar-ul-Haq and Maulana Mohammed Hanif Jalandhri held those who had withdrawn security from religious personalities and religious institutions equally responsible for the attack.

They urged the government to provide ―reasonable security‖ to important religious figures and institutions to save the country from anarchy and mischief.

Born in 1943 in India, Mufti Taqi Usmani is son of Mufti-i-Azam Pakistan and active member of the Pakistan movement Mohammad Shafi Usmani. He is also adviser on Islamic banking to eight banks. (By Imtiaz Ali Dawn, 01, 23/03/2019)

This app may be the solution to the city's crime problem

If you have lived in Karachi and haven‘t been robbed at gunpoint, you may as well as buy a lottery ticket. For you are among the lucky few who have escaped the inevitable experience of living in the port city.

For the unfortunate majority, the experience can be nerve-wracking. What is even more disturbing is that the lost valuables, which often include a mobile phone, are never seen again.

But one Karachi teenager has come up with an ingenious mobile application that has the potential to at least reduce street crimes, if not eliminate them. This innovator is Faizullah Arain, a resident of Kaneez Fatima Society in Karachi. Arain has built an Android application that can be downloaded to your smartphone and will send alerts to your designated number in case of an emergency. Not only this, Arain‘s app, which he has named Crighter, will also use data gleaned from users‘ alerts to warn you of crime hotspots which you can use to plan your journey across the city.

How it works The application can be downloaded free onto your Android device from the Google Play Store. Once it is installed on your device, you must sign up to the service by entering your own details and one designated number, whom you want to be alerted in case of an emergency.

Henceforth, if you find yourself in a threatening situation, you would press the device‘s power button thrice. This would in turn start a chain of events to gather information that would later assist in apprehending the culprit. When the power button is pressed thrice, the device would click five pictures in quick succession, start an audio recording and note your location. It would then transmit all this information to your designated number. In case your device does not have Internet connectivity, the information will be relayed to your designated number via a text message.

The app doesn‘t only come in handy at the time of an emergency. In fact, Arain has built in a smart map feature, which allows users to check if the area they are travelling to ‗safe, normal or dangerous‘ so that they may plan their journey accordingly.

The child prodigy Arain, who turned 18 last December, has had no formal education in computer sciences. ―Mostly, I am self-taught,‖ he says, referring to his knowledge of web development and application softwares gleaned from Youtube tutorials and other platforms. The interest, he says, started at young age, when he used to play video games on the family‘s desktop computer. ―We got our first computer when I was in class 3,‖ he tells The Express Tribune. At the time, it was love at first sight.

By the time Arain was in class 8, he had developed a keen interest in web development. ―Everyone meets that one person who acts as a catalyst,‖ says Arain, in a preachy voice. For him, the catalyst was his computer instructor at the Army Public School in grade 8. ―Sir Ansari used to say that in this world, there is only one field where you can make money with a little bit of foc us –

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In the summer vacations after his Grade 8 exams, Arain got enrolled in a short course in Aptech – a computer training centre. There, he built on his rather rudimentary knowledge of web and game development. Over the next few months, he built his fi rst game, Jump and Catch, which is also available on Android.

Trouble in paradise Mid-way through grade 9, Arain‘s parents got a call from his teacher, complaining that he wasn‘t paying enough attention to his studies. ―The teacher suggested that he stop going to Aptech for a while and focus instead on his academics,‖ says Arain‘s mother, Reshma Khan.

His parents thus decided to stop his classes at Aptech and limit his time on the computer.

Arain, however, was not to be deterred. Though he couldn‘t go to a formal training centre anymore, Arain used all his spare time to continue learning new skills on Youtube and from online courses.

The road to success When he talks about his journey, Arain‘s words belie his true age. ―What people don‘t realise is that success can only be achieved if you never stop trying,‖ says the young boy, who recently turned 18. Speaking about his first success, he says tha t he had designed and built over 200 websites, out of which only one got selected. He made his first real money – $600 – at this point. Over time, he has built a name for himself and has made over scores of websites for clients, ranging from small businesses to larger corporate ventures.

―Sure, it got frustrating at times. I would participate in competitions and would lose in the final round,‖ he reminisces. ―Those were the toughest moments and I would literally decide to just give up.‖ The next morning, however, he would get up and start at it again. ―With a little luck and hard work, anything is possible,‖ he says.

Looking ahead For now, Arain is planning to focus on his education and build on the success of Crighter. The app, which was launched at the start of this year, has already been downloaded by over 5,000 users from the Google Play Store and has received raving reviews from its users. Sometime in the future, he would like to partner with a business or the law enforcement agencies to market the application and add more features to it. ―However, the business would have to be willing to put up money without seeking immediate returns,‖ he says.

On the academics front, Arain will appear for his Intermediate exams in April. He then plans to apply to the Lahore Universit y of Management Sciences or the National University of Science and Technology. ―With formal training from either of these prestigious institutes, I would be able to use my skills and passion to provide solutions to so many of our society‘s problem s,‖ he says. ―That is the dream.‖ (By Our Correspondent The Express Tribune, 04, 25/03/2019)

Prof Hameed’s murder condemned, restoration of student unions urged

A number of people, including teachers and civil society activists, took part in a demonstration held outside the Karachi Press Club on Monday to protest the recent brutal murder of Prof Khalid Hameed in Bahawalpur.

The demonstration was jointly organised by the Teachers‘ Society of of Arts, Science and Technology (Fuuast), Abdul Haq campus, and the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP).

Condemning the murder, speakers addressing the gathering called upon the government to look into rising extremism on campuses seriously and come up with a comprehensive strategy to promote tolerance and the spirit of coexistence.

They also felt that the continued restriction on student unions was a key factor contributing to intolerance in educational institutions and that the government must consider their restoration immediately.

―Increasing intolerance and extremism on campuses is a threat to society and the nation‘s stability. We believe that one reason behind this worrisome situation is the continued ban on student unions,‖ said Asad Iqbal of the HRCP.

It‘s important that students were provided with opportunities to engage in healthy activities and that the government restore student unions on campuses, he added. Prof Hameed‘s murder was indicative of loss of state‘s writ and society‘s deterioration, he observed.

Dr Irfan Aziz, representing the teachers, held the state responsible for the killing and said that the government should announce the highest civil award for the late professor to demonstrate its respect towards teachers.

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The protesters said the ―soft government treatment‖ towards extremists and ―compromised‖ police and judicial system had contributed to intolerance in society.

Among other things, what‘s required was to spread knowledge and education to help end this hostile environment persisting in society, they said.

There was also a demand that the investigations into the killings of teachers, including Prof Shakeel Auj, Dr Yasir Rizvi of Karachi University and Prof Hameed, should be completed as soon as possible.

Prof Khalid Hameed, head of the English department of Bahawalpur‘s Government Sadiq Egerton College, was stabbed to death by a student of his last week who accused him of promoting ‗obscenity‘ by organising a mixed welcome gathering on campus. (By The Newspaper's Staff Reporter Dawn, 16, 26/03/2019)

IO issued notice for failing to file charge sheet against Sepa director ‘involved in Rs19m graft’

An anti-corruption court has issued a show-cause notice to an investigating officer for ‗failing‘ to submit final charge sheet against a director of the Sindh Environmental Protection Agency (Sepa) and others booked for allegedly embezzling Rs19 million funds of the agency.

Irfan Ahmed Abbasi, the then director (administration and finance) along with other officials of Sepa, has been booked for alleged embezzlement of funds meant for establishing the agency‘s district offices across the province.

Taking up the matter recently, the judge took serious notice of failure of IO Kazi Sharafuddin to submit the final charge sheet in the present case despite the lapse of 90 days for completion of the investigation after the submission of the interim charge sheet.

The IO requested for more time. However, the judge issued him a show-cause notice with the direction to submit the final investigation report against the suspects and fixed the matter on April 5.

Earlier, the IO filed an interim report on Dec 24, charge-sheeting Irfan Ahmed Abbasi and other unidentified officials in the environmental protection agency for allegedly embezzling the funds.

In the report, he concluded that in view of facts and evidence prima facie a case was made out against Irfan Abbasi and others under Sections 409 (criminal breach of trust by public servant, or by banker, merchant or agent), 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), 471 (using as genuine a forged document) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code and Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act-II, 1947.

According to the prosecution, in pursuance of the directives issued by a Supreme Court-appointed judicial commission on water and sanitation the provincial finance department had allocated funds amounting to Rs98m to Sepa in April 2017 to open its sub-offices in 10 major districts for protection, conservation, rehabilitation and improvement of environment of the province.

It further mentioned that mainly the funds were to be utilised for salaries of the staff to be appointed and procurement of equipment, rent for the office space and furniture for establishing the sub-offices in various districts of the province. However, an inquiry revealed that only three sub-offices were established while no appointments were made, it claimed.

The prosecution further said that the procurement of furniture and equipment was done in October 2017 with an amount of Rs14.56m, but the purchases were made ―unplanned and without contingency plan‖.

The purchased items, including furniture and equipment, had not been allocated further to the newly set up sub-offices, but dumped in store at head offices, it added.

Besides, it was mentioned that fake billing had surfaced, which was carried out to siphon off funds in the heads of petrol, travelling allowance and dearness allowance and rent of the non-existent offices.

The prosecution claimed that out of Rs98m allocations, an amount of Rs79m had lapsed due to non-appointment of staff to run the sub-offices.

The articles purchased with an amount of Rs14.56m had been dumped at the Sindh environmental protection agency‘s main office without further distribution to the sub-offices.

It further claimed that only three sub-offices could be established and there ―was no plausible justification to the effect as to why the other offices were not established‖.

―Main perpetrator of embezzlement has been Irfan Abbasi, director, admin and finance (Sepa),‖ the FIR stated and further accused him of having ―arranged, prepared and encashed the fake bills‖.

During an inquiry, it revealed that the defaulter Irfan Abbasi managed to get the bills passed against petrol, rent and TA/DA, based on forged signatures of an additional director (admin) of the agency. Further probe detected that almost all bills were claimed on the basis of fake and forged receipts, quotations and bills, it added.

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The anti-graft watchdog mentioned that loses to the tune of Rs19m caused to the national exchequer had been proved beyond any reasonable doubt.

It stated that the DG Sepa conducted a departmental inquiry, wherein he categorically mentioned the commission of the alleged offences, adding that the gravity of the misconduct could be noticed from the fact that even uniforms were procured for the employees, who were yet to be recruited.

It said the whole process of procurement had been found managed and non-transparent, adding that although the bid was published in the leading dailies and the rules of the Sindh Public Procurement Act were followed, yet opportunity was exploited through controlled competition among three firms/vendors from Hyderabad and the contract for the items was given to one of them.

It showed that bid rigging had been done with ulterior motives through giving of bid documents to selected few only, stated the FIR adding that all procured stocks were shown in documents but upon intervention through an inquiry the accused managed a haphazard purchase of the stocks to be kept in the store for inspection.

―Organised offence has been committed for personal gains,‖ it stated and alleged that Mr Abbasi, during an inquiry admitted to his guilt and showed voluntariness to return the amount worth Rs2 to Rs4m. However, he changed his mind afterwards, it added.

It further stated that the finance department had released Rs98m to the agency to set up its sub-offices in 10 districts in the first phase. ―But, the misuse of funds is already started,‖ the complainant stated in the FIR.

It further mentioned that in different heads a sum of Rs18.7m had been consumed.

The anti-graft watchdog after collecting sufficient documentary evidence recommended the matter to the anti-corruption committee-I (known as ACC-I) for registration of a case against Irfan Abbasi and others. (By Naeem Sahoutara Dawn, 16, 27/03/2019)

Video showing ex-administrator abusing cops goes viral

A former Karachi administrator has found himself in an awkward situation after a video went viral on social media, in which he is seen hurling invectives and obscenities at police officials for stopping his vehicle at a check post and asking for his identification. The former administrator, Fahim Zaman, however, claimed that the video was ―edited‖ and showed only one side of the picture.

The video The incident occurred at the PIDC intersection within the limits of Civil Lines Police Station on Tuesday, when a police official, stationed at a check post, flagged Zaman‘s car and asked the occupants to show their Computerised National Identity Cards (CNIC).

The events that followed were captured in a video, seemingly by the police official who had flagged Zaman‘s vehicle. In the video, Zaman can be seen hurling abuses at the police officials and threatening them of dire consequences. ―This is my city. Who are you to ask for my CNIC?‖ demanded Zaman. In response, the police official can be heard saying, ―Sir, we are here for your safety.‖

The former administrator continued his tirade saying that the police officials were stationed only to prove their existence. ―Let me call [Karachi police chief AIG] Ameer Shaikh,‖ he warned, demanding the police to tell him what was the red zone and who owned it.

The police official then asked Zaman‘s driver to move the car to the roadside. At this, Zaman warned that he would call the Sindh Police chief and hurl obscenities at him.

He signalled his driver not to remove the car from the middle of the road and demanded the police to call their senior officials. A few seconds later, the car driver moved the vehicle to the side. The former administrator maintained that if the police was not able to recognise the former administrator, they knew no one in the city. ―I have been the city‘s administrator twice but you don‘t recognize me. How would you recognise a common man?‖ said Zaman.

The video shot by the police officers went viral on social media after which Sindh IG Dr Kaleem Imam took notice of the maltreatment meted out to the cops and demanded a detailed report from the South SSP.

Zaman’s version Speaking to The Express Tribune, Zaman clarified that the video doing the rounds on social media had been edited by the police officials and did not reveal the complete story. ―I was on my way to work when my car was flagged at the PIDC traffic light a nd asked to stop,‖ he started. ―When I reached for my wallet, I realised that I had forgotten it at home.‖

On this, said Zaman, the police official said that he needed to show his CNIC because he was entering the red zone. ―I told h im that my office was four steps away and asked him what the red zone was and where did it say I needed to carry my CNIC to enter it,‖ Zaman told The Express Tribune. The police, he said, responded by saying that the governor and chief minister‘s residences were in the area.

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Then I asked the police officials if they were meant to provide security to only the CM House and Governor‘ s and why they weren‘t also setting up such check posts in Korangi and Nazimabad.

While this was ongoing, said Zaman, one of the police officials stood in front of the car and aimed his weapon at him. ―This is what angered me,‖ Zaman explained. ―Will they shoot a common man for not carrying his ID?‖ he questioned. He added that he was remorseful over his behaviour that was seen in the video but the source of his anger was the outrage that the police offi cial aimed his gun at him simply for not being able to produce his CNIC.

FIR registered Later that night, Civil Lines Police registered an FIR against Fahim Zaman and his driver on the charges of interference in t he discharge of official duty. The FIR, number 31/2019, invokes sections 341, 353, 504 and 506/34 of the Pakistan Penal Code. The FIR was registered on the complaint of constable Adnan.

In his statement, constable Adnan said that he is posted at Civil Lines Police Station and was deployed at the PIDC intersect ion from 8 am to 4 pm, along with Saeed Salam, Mohammad Qasim, Shahid Ikhtiar Ahmed, Musawer Shah and constable Saeedullah.

At 11 am on Tuesday, Adnan and the other police officials flagged a Honda Civic, bearing registration number AYY -174, which was coming from MT Khan Road. As the car stopped, Adnan said that he asked the driver to show his CNIC. However, the person seated in the passenger seat, whom he later discovered to be Faheem Zaman, told the driver not to show his CNIC and move forward. On this, Adnan said that he signalled constable Qasim, standing at the barrier, to stop the car.

As Qasim stopped the car, Zaman exited the car in a rage and started abusing and threatening, while interfering in the offici al work. What followed was captured in the video made by one of the officials. (By Our Correspondent The Express Tribune, 04, 27/03/2019)

Fahim Zaman gets pre-arrest bail

The Sindh High Court granted pre-arrest bail on Wednesday to the former city administrator Fahim Zaman against a surety of Rs50,000. The hearing of the bail plea was held in the chamber of Justice Abdul Maalik Gaddi. The former administrator, who was present, requested for bail fearing his arrest, Justice Gaddi accepted the plea and granted a 10-day bail directing him to present himself before the relevant court.

According to the case filed by police, Zaman was accused of abusing and misbehaving with police officials. He has been charged under Pakistan Penal Code Section 353 – assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty and Section 504 – intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace. Zaman had threatened the police and attempted to create traffic nuisance. A case was registered on Tuesday in Civil Lines Police Station. (By Our Correspondent The Express Tribune, 05, 28/03/2019)

The seeds of intolerance

THE wave of intolerance sweeping across Pakistan is posing a more serious threat to the country‘s most vital interests and the people‘s mental equilibrium than any other problem, including the threat of external aggression.

Let us take a look at some recent incidents of intolerance.

A student killed Prof Khalid Hameed, head of the English department at a Bahawalpur college, because he thought that a mixed gathering of male and female students that was planned to welcome newly enrolled students was un-Islamic. This is a new excuse for taking the life of a fellow Muslim, and a teacher at that.

Two Ahmadi doctors were abducted and murdered and their bodies stuffed inside a canal head. The level of brutality against Ahmadi doctors even in personal quarrels has risen considerably.

The campaign of vilification launched by the pious and patriotic men of the country against the audacity of the women who joined the Aurat March on International Women‘s Day continues to become more and more vicious. The prominent targets of male venom include some of the organisers of the event in different cities.

From where does the vigilante brigade derive its sanction to enforce its morality code?

Two minor girls belonging to the Hindu community of Ghotki in Sindh were apparently abducted, converted to Islam and married off to Muslim men.

What makes these manifestations of intolerance more ominous than they are generally believed to be is that the objects of unmitigated violence are women and minority communities that deserve extra protection in view of their known vulnerability.

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Besides, the government has not taken due notice of the threats to the lives and peace of mind of innocent citizens. It has not bothered to denounce the foul murders nor has it shown concern at vigilante violence except for the last-mentioned incident, which has propelled the prime minister into action against the culprits.

It would be idle and dangerous to pretend that the latest surge in intolerance is the work of some overexcited individuals or groups whereas it is rooted in the state‘s failure to precisely define the place of belief in politics and governance. The problem has confronted successive governments and none has attempted a complete or long-term remedy.

Take the case of the alleged forced conversion of two minor Hindu girls — a horrible crime that is un-Islamic too. One should like to see how far the government will go. The existence of centres in certain parts of Sindh that specialise in abduction-conversion- marriage procedures is no secret. These centres have flourished under the patronage of feudal politicians who have been courted and pampered by the country‘s major political parties. If the government does not proceed against these conversion centres, it will be guilty of abetment.

Quite a few issues relating to forced conversion need to be earnestly examined and resolved. The women in our subcontinent have been led to believe that victims of forced marriages won‘t be accepted by their parents/siblings and they must resign themselves to their fate. Some of them are afraid of being killed if restored to parental custody. The courts usually do not allow the victims to meet their parents/siblings. Being sent to a shelter for some days to enable them to make up their minds does not seem to have worked.

The questions regarding the marriage of underage girls and the age at which a girl‘s conversion can be deemed valid need to be settled beyond any doubt. The government should support the new bills on child marriage and forced conversions, especially the former that should be easy to enforce. Measures to prevent forced conversions also demand properly thought-out policies and guidelines for the law-enforcing and judicial authorities.

The murder of Prof Khalid Hameed, the abduction and killing of the Ahmadi doctors, and the frenzy of attacks on women activists denote a new high in vigilante activity, an assertion of the self-acquired right by any Muslim to question a fellow Muslim about his performance of religious rituals.

C.M. Naeem, who has been a distinguished teacher at the Chicago University for over four decades, could not believe his ears when for the first time in his long career he was queried by two of his students about missing his prayers. The killer of the Bahawalpur teacher and the instigators of violence against the organisers of the Aurat March are the advanced models of the Chicago vigilantes.

But from where does the vigilante brigade derive its sanction to enforce its morality code? For an answer, one has to go far back in the past to the point when Pakistan decided to become an Islamic state without working out a mechanism for interpreting Islam and left the various schools of thought free to interpret the state religion in different ways. Ijtehad was sacrificed at the altar of traditionalism. Came Gen Zia and overruled Allama Iqbal‘s 1930 call to defreeze Islamic fiqh that had been frozen for 500 years and to free it of the stamp of Arab imperialism.

Pakistan is now governed under the Zia constitution of 1985. The conservative traditionalists are determined to defend Zia‘s version of state-enforced belief as the original and real Islam. Further, some people seem to have joined the hisba force Gen Zia had proposed for enforcing moral discipline, a move that was foiled by the judiciary.

The members of the private hisba force derive strength from the interpretation of religion by militant extremists, especially their view that jihad can be carried out by individual Muslims, and their complete reliance on the theory of takfir, which means that a good Muslim has a right and a duty to behead a person who claims to be a Muslim but does not qualify as such by the former‘s standard. Hitherto the state has gone along with the interpretation of Islam by traditionalists and militants. If it wishes to break out of its self- acquired shackles it must encourage intra-religion discourse and define the role of belief in matters that are apparently outside its jurisdiction. (By I.A. Rehman Dawn, 08, 28/03/2019)

Sindh police to get new uniforms

The Sindh police have decided to introduce new uniforms for their personnel to improve the perception of the force and to make it agreeable to local weather conditions.

―The government of Sindh, considering the recommendations of IGP Sindh Dr Kaleem Imam, has approved the introduction of new uniforms for the Sindh police to exhibit the perception of better policing among the citizens,‖ a police spokesperson said.

The IGP stated that the prime reason behind the changing of the uniform was to enhance policing and to bring it up to international standards.

―It will surely have a fruitful result in exhibiting perception of improved policing among the citizens,‖ said Mr Imam. He said he hoped that the citizens would appreciate this replacement of the uniform.

DIG Operations Maqsood Ahmed in his briefing said the new uniforms were designed in accordance with the ―latest international standards, local weather conditions and improved quality‖.

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―Sindh police will be the sole provider of the new police uniforms to ensure the quality of fabric, colour and stitching, local suppliers and vendors will not be allowed to display the new uniform in their outlets,‖ said Mr Ahmed.

Different uniforms According to a press release, the uniform will initially be introduced in five units of the Sindh police: traffic police, CIA, Anti-riot Reserve Platoons, Forensic Division and Central Police Office.

Four uniforms per person per annum will be allowed in the next financial year.

Police uniforms displayed at the Central Police Office for the traffic police officers include white shirt, navy blue pants and navy blue cap.

Similarly, uniforms of officers of the CPO and other police units will consist of dark blue shirt, navy blue pants and navy blue cap.

The uniform of constables and head constables will include dark blue half sleeves shirt, navy blue pants and navy blue cap. The belt width has also been reduced to two inches.

―It will increase the morale of the police officials having the same quality of uniforms in all ranks,‖ said the statement.

―New uniforms will be factory stitched on international standards; they will be comfortable and weather friendly.‖ (By The Newspaper's Staff Reporter Dawn, 15, 28/03/2019)

Karachi violence

FOR the past four decades or so, Karachi has experienced several waves of violence, with periods of uneasy calm in between.

Sometimes bloodshed has manifested itself in political killings, at other times ethnic violence has erupted, while the threat of sectarian trouble is always bubbling under the surface. Throw into this lethal mix the incidence of deadly street crime, and a picture of a metropolis constantly on edge emerges.

While the city has seen some semblance of peace since the 2013 law-enforcement operation, this calm is often shattered by violent incidents that remind both the state and citizens how fragile the situation in Karachi is. Just on Wednesday, a number of violent incidents took place in the city, including murders and break-ins. In one incident, a teenager was shot dead upon resisting an attempt to rob a few thousand rupees.

Over the past few weeks, a number of high-profile attacks have taken place, including the targeting of religious scholar Mufti Taqi Usmani; a police guard and another individual accompanying the mufti were killed, and though police claim to have made headway in the case, no solid leads have emerged. Only a day after the attack on the mufti, Wajahat Hussain, a youth related to an MWM leader, was gunned down in Orangi Town.

From circumstantial evidence, it seems the same set of elements that had previously sown chaos in the city have become active again. However, only a proper intelligence-based analysis can uncover the sources of instability.

It needs to be ascertained where the threats are primarily emanating from. Have sectarian killers and political assassins become active again, or does the threat lie elsewhere, for example in killers for hire? Are local criminal gangs taking advantage of the chaos in Karachi, or are foreign players meddling in the city‘s peace?

The situation needs to be studied deeply by the law-enforcement and intelligence apparatus to break the latest cycle of violence.

Moreover, one key reason for recurring bloodshed is the fact that Karachi is awash with guns. Other than lip service, over the years no government — federal or provincial — has considered a serious de-weaponisation drive for Karachi. That is why everyone from professional killers to street criminals is armed to the teeth, and able to take precious lives at will.

The authorities need to arrest the rising violent crime graph before bloodshed once more becomes routine in Karachi. (By Editorial Dawn, 08, 28/03/2019)

‘Disabled persons need political inclusion’

Pakistan has millions of disabled people and ignoring their needs and isolating them by not including them in the workforce is also hurting the country‘s economy, said Mohammad Owais, a disabled young man.

―Disabled persons need political inclusion to get their voices heard and their issues known,‖ he added.

These issues were discussed at a workshop, ‗Engaging government officials on addressing the needs of disabled communities — strategy for ensuring universal access in urban mobility‘, organised by Shehri-Citizens for a Better Environment with the support of Friedrich-Naumann-Stiftung für die Freiheit at a local hotel here on Thursday.

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Difficulties faced by the disabled in getting around due to a lack of awareness or care for disabled persons and the absence of proper ramps for wheelchairs, Braille signboards, tactile tiles, etc, were highlighted and discussed.

People with special needs do not have access to mobility modes, says expert

Amra Javed, executive member Shehri-CBE said that while we follow the West, which we see as much ahead of us, if one looked at the history of the developed countries, you would learn that they used to see special people as a burden on society. They were seen as evil spirits and thought to hinder progress. The first centre for people with special needs was set-up by the Muslim world back in the 88 Hijri. ―And now when the West has done so much to include special needs people we in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan have fallen far behind.‖

Urban planner and project manager of Shehri-CBE Farhan Anwar in his presentation talked about inequity in urban mobility needs of people with special needs. He said that mobility was not just about modes of transport and travelling on buses and trains, it also meant mobility for pedestrians and people on bicycles or wheelchairs.

―Therefore when planning projects we need to take the views of all to understand their problems and move ahead. The marginalised and vulnerable people should be your VIPs when planning mobility,‖ he said, adding that one didn‘t need to know rocket science to solve the issues faced by the disabled. ―It only requires understanding,‖ he said.

―The problem of people with special needs is not having access to mobility modes because this is not a city with a sense of equity. In the urban context inequity is when everyone cannot access the modes of mobility,‖ he said.

―We here have invested so much in things such as flyovers but they are only for cars and not for cyclists, pedestrians and people of special needs making this space an inequitable system. And it is almost criminal for a public transport system which doesn‘t cater to all people. It is an issue of human rights,‖ he pointed out.

Khalid Sherwani, associate community outreach at NOWPDP spoke about the ‗Legislative frameworks for empowering people with special needs — the road ahead.‘ He shared pictures of ramps which were built just to fulfil a requirement but were so steep that they looked like children‘s slides. ―Here you are spending money too but what good is it when it is not even helping anyone,‖ he said, while urging people to indulge in citizen activism and sharing problems of mobility on social media, especially on Twitter, where the ministers can also see them.

Shahzaib Shaikh, a deputy secretary in the government of Sindh, who joined in the end, said that since the legal framework for the Sindh Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities Act-2018 has not yet been framed, the provincial government was still working with the Accessibility Code of Pakistan 2006, which is a federal legislation. ―However, a consultant would be hired within a couple of months to structure the legal framework of the provincial act,‖ he said.

―Then under the provincial act, a new authority, the Sindh Disabled Persons Protection Authority would be formed,‖ he said, explaining that the authority would then conduct inspection and audits of existing buildings to make them compatible with the requirements of meeting the needs of people with disabilities.

He said a meeting would also soon be called of city landowning agencies to discuss and finalise that no new building plans would be issued to buildings not having the required facilities. ―A council will be formed within the authority composed of relevant stakeholders to steer the implementation work,‖ he said.

―This council would have six to eight members from the people with disabilities having a three-year tenure,‖ he added. (By Shazia Hasan Dawn, 16, 29/03/2019)

Dozens injured as police baton charge, tear gas protesters in Karachi

Dozens of teachers were injured as the police resorted to baton charge and tear gas shelling on a rally of protesting teachers who had gathered outside the Karachi Press Club (KPC) on Thursday. Police also arrested more than 200 teachers who apparently tried to proceed towards the Chief Minister‘s (CM) House.

Some shells also landed in the premises of KPC compelling the journalists present there to take precautionary measures to avoid the breathing issues due to the smoke.

While the president of Government School Teachers Association (GSTA) claimed that at least 250 protesting teachers had been arrested, Edhi sources said that they had shifted many injured to the hospitals, out of whom five were stated to be in serious condition.

The protest was initiated by GSTA for the approval of their demands which include addressing the reservations of teachers due to the insecurity created by the management cadre, to give permanent status to the (NTS) teachers from date of joining, promotions of Teachers and High School Teachers (HST) to head master and Junior School Teacher (JST) to HST on immediate basis, provision of time-scale according to Grade 17 to government school teachers, Grade 20 contract to HST, issuance of salary of teachers appointed in 2012, provision of group insurance at t he time of retirement in the light of Supreme Court (SC) verdict, following the old procedure of appointments in education sector by Sin dh Public Service Commission (SPSC), provision of salaries to all government teachers equivalent to government officials working

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GSTA President Ashraf Khaskheli, addressing the teachers gathered from all over Sindh, said that the protest will continue till all the demands are accepted as they had been demanding the education secretary for the last six months but to no avail. The government misguided the media saying that they had accepted the demands, but no notification has been issued, he said.

As the protesters marched towards the Red Zone, police contained them from both sides and upon resistance, resorted to baton charge and tear gas shelling. As a result of which, three teachers fainted on the spot while dozens were left injured. The five injured namely Attaur Rehman, Tariq, Nasir, Ghulam Nabi and Arif were immediately taken to the hospital in Edhi ambulances.

The GSTA president‘s condition worsened due to the shelling and was taken inside the KPC by the teachers. Meanwhile, the protesters continued to shout slogans against the police and authorities. Many of them also staged a sit-in in front of Zainab Market.

GSTA president announced that all academic activities will remain suspended and sit-in will continue outside the KPC until demands are met. The education secretary should be ashamed of lying and treating teachers as terrorists, he said adding that they were assured that no police action will be taken to stop their protest. Khaskheli said that even the captured Indian pilot was not treated the way we were, this was disrespect to teachers.

On the other hand, Education Secretary Qazi Shahid, speaking to The Express Tribune, said that he talked to the teachers‘ representatives till 1:00am last night but their demands are increasing now. The summary of demands has been sent to CM House for the approval, he said adding that the notification will be issued after the CM‘s approval. He added that protesti ng at the time of examinations shows that the teachers want to sabotage the examinations. (By Saba Naz The Express Tribune, 04, 29/03/2019)

Domestic violence

THE harrowing case of a woman in Lahore who was allegedly tortured by her husband and ignored by the police, as well as the response since her video statement became public, underscores how seriously this country needs to have a meaningful conversation about domestic violence. In its most brutal manifestation, domestic violence is at the heart of numerous murders of women by their spouses and other family members reported daily across Pakistan. Against this backdrop, countless women from every socioeconomic background suffer in silence from economic, mental, sexual and physical abuse. Escaping an abusive household is near impossible, especially in a culture that blames, shames and silences victims who lack support from families that, instead, force them to reconcile with their abusive partners. There is exhaustive research to support the fact that the point at which a woman tries to leave her abuser is precisely the one at which she is most vulnerable to a possibly fatal assault.

It is thus absolutely essential — the difference, in many cases, between life and death — that when women do overcome this monumental first step, we set the right tone at every level of intervention. While an internal inquiry is currently being conducted as to whether the battered woman was initially turned away by officers, this is certainly not a unique phenomenon for victims of domestic violence in Pakistan. Besides sensitising staff at police stations, there is a need for more dedicated state facilities and personnel modelled on existing crisis centres. The media, meanwhile, must realise that speculative, sensationalist reporting not only puts the individual at greater risk but reinforces dangerous societal narratives about abuse. And as consumers of these invasive portrayals of victims of violence, we as a society need to examine our compulsion to fixate on selective outrage, when all around us — in fact, in our midst — are signs of abuse that we casually ignore. Women can no longer wait. We need to have this conversation now. (By Editorial Dawn, 08, 29/03/2019)

Section 22-A of CrPC misused: Hyderabad AIG Dr Ghulam Sarwar Jamali

With the legal fraternity continuing protest against National Judicial Policy Making Council‘s (NJPMC) decision regarding Section 22-A of Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), Hyderabad Additional Inspector General (AIG) Dr Ghulam Sarwar Jamali contends that the provision was being misused.

―More than 90% of the FIRs lodged under Section 22-A on the courts‘ orders from 2004 to 2018 came out to be fake in a research that we [the police] conducted,‖ the AIG, who has been recently posted as regional police chief of Hyderabad, claime d while talking to the media at Hyderabad Press Club on Thursday.

According to him, the report was submitted to the law and justice commission, Supreme Court‘s committee and other platforms. The police maintained that the people accused in such spurious FIRs suffer a great deal of stress and embarrassment.

On the call of and the lawyers boycotted the courts on Thursday. They have been demanding from the NJPMC to withdraw its decision which they argue barred the district judiciary from ordering the police to register the FIRs.

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AIG Jamali, however, clarified though the NJPMC‘s directives have not restricted the judiciary rather the district level police complaint cells have been made the secondary platform to lodge a complaint after the local police station. He said that a complainant is supposed to approach the local police station for registration of the FIR.

A complainant who believes that the local police is not cooperating can submit their complaint in the complaint cell which wi ll immediately initiate an investigation to decide whether the matter justified lodging the FIR.

―A complainant can still file applications before the justice of peace or the sessions judges praying the court to order registration of the FIR. However, the courts will now ask the complainants if they went to the local police station and the complaint ce ntre before approaching the court,‖ he elaborated.

According to Dr Jamali, Section 22-A was inserted in the CrPC in 2004 prior to which the district judges were not empowered to order the police to book an FIR. ―We remember that when we were new in the police, the high courts would take up such matters and the courts would direct the police to conduct a probe before registering the FIR‖.

The AIG informed that the Sindh police have submitted a draft legislation to carry out radical reforms in the archaic P olice Act, 1861. He said that the proposed law wanted to make the police a service oriented organisation unlike the 1861 Act under which the British occupiers used the police as a force against the local population.

According to him, the draft contains the features of the Police Order 2002, which was promulgated by former President Gen (retd) , but it is an improvement of the previous reforms. ―The 2002 order wasn‘t made by Musharraf but a team of senior police officers and the federal secretaries who studied the reports of several commissions formed earlier to recommend the reforms‖.

Dr Jamali also apprised that Sindh police has submitted a summary to Sindh government to bring the salaries and pensions of the policemen at par with their counterparts in Punjab. He expressed hope that like the doctors in Sindh, the policemen will also soon begin receiving salaries which are equal to . (By Our Correspondent The Express Tribune, 04, 29/03/2019)

Sindh constables will soon have BPS-7, says IGP

Inspector General of Police Syed Kaleem Imam has said that police constables in Sindh will soon have BPS-7 like their counterparts in other provinces and those who are already in BPS-7 will be upgraded to BPS-9.

He said at a meeting of police of ficers at DIG of fice in Shaheed Benazirabad on Friday that about 2,500 female police officers would also be inducted in the force soon.

He said that he had sent recommendations for therevival of sons` quota in jobs in the police force to Sindh government and requested administrations of all universities to offer special discounts to family members of police officials.

He said that Sindh police had a total sanctioned strength of 160,000 personnel and the force was still short of 25,000. A five-year master plan had been prepared under which new police stations and departments would be established, he said.

He tried to allay lawyers` fears about Section 22-A of Criminal Procedure Code and said the section thatallowed a complainant to have his FIR lodged in case of police refusal to do so had not been abrogated altogether but amended to facilitate all parties concerned.

Out of 19,000 applications for registration of FIR that pouce received in 2018, over 17,000 were found to be bogus af ter initial probe, he said.

He said that DIGs of all ranges had been directed to personally monitor the applications and assured that police would ensure registration of FIR. In case of police failure to do so, the complainant still had the right to approach the court, he said.He said that most cases of targeted killing had been solved and the remaining would also be cracked soon.

Police remained alert 24 hours and performed duties with dedication and honesty, he claimed.

He assured the officers that all their problems would be resolved and urged them to be strict with criminals but deal with public humbly and politely.

Shaheed Benazirabad DIG Mazhar Nawaz Shaikh, Shaheed Benazirabad SSP Tanveer Hussain Tunio and Sanghar SSP Zeeshan Siddiqui were also present at the meeting. (By Our Correspondent Dawn, 17 30/03/2019)

Karachi cops look to 'community policing' for soft image building

After years of debate and discussion, Sindh police have finally taken community outreach initiatives by changing the syllabus and training courses in the province and starting pilot projects to provide relief to the community, build a soft image of the force and develop bonds with people. The initiative has been started in Karachi‘s District South.

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According to the ―School Safety Division‖ (SSD) module, the South District Police have selected ten public and private schools where they have started classes for students, from Nursery to O levels, educating them about the role of the police, referrin g to them as ―friends‖, and educating them about traffic signals, violations, and dealing with strangers.

South SSP Pir Mohammad Shah told The Express Tribune that they have selected highly qualified and trained police officers to take the classes in these schools. ―We have developed different modules for different classes and have started taking classes in a few schools, which will be replicated in ten schools,‖ he said.

According to the training module, the students will also be taught health tips, the risks of rash driving, drugs use and its repercussions, and how to report incidents to the police.

Anti-Affinity Theft Unit Maid culture is built-in in our society. For some, it‘s a luxury, and for others a necessity. Robberies and theft, based on bonds of affinity, occur throughout Karachi but they are more prevalent in Defence and Clifton.

The police have named the unit tasked with dealing such cases as ‗Affinity Theft‘. Affinity thieves can be maids, nannies, helpers, drivers, gardeners, cooks, or any other domestic employee. They are the kind of people who will gain trust first and valuables afterwards.

According to the police, they have established an Anti-Affinity Theft Unit (AATU) headed by a veteran investigator from Darakshan Police Station. This unit has been raised to help, guide and assist victims, and has been a great s uccess in working out such cases ever since its inception

In this connection, a Whatsapp group of housewives has been formed and kept active to keep the members posted on the developments about any incidences in the locality. A mobile app is also being developed to help employers upload information about maids and servants. This will save them the hassle of going to police stations to do the same.

According to South DIG, they will be stressing on community policing to achieve more effective and efficient crime control by reducing the fear of crime and improve quality of life, improving police services, and police legitimacy, through proactive reliance on community resources.

―The police is a product of community and it should work in proactive partnership with citizens to identify and solve their problems,‖ South DIG said, adding that the communication gaps between the police and the community always create problems.

He said that they have started community outreach initiatives by starting pilot projects to provide relief to the community and will replicate the same in other places as well.

In this intervention, the police will also give tips to the students about harassments and how to deal with it. ―We will arra nge recreational activities for these students, take them out of the schools and to cinemas as well,‖ South DIG Sharjil Kharal said, adding that the role of SSD is to ensure positive relationships and remove barriers between the school community and the police, which, according to him, will also reduce the incidence of crime and antisocial behaviour among youth.

―With this, the students will understand the law, the role and their responsibilities of the police to the community,‖ he sai d. The salient feature of this intervention is that it will remind the kids that they are leaders, not followers, he added.

―It will restore respect for police in the community and decrease the number of future offences by concentrating on preventiv e measures. This will also help children to make good life choices, educate them on bullying and handling peer pressure and will mobilise them about safety measures,‖ says a module copy available with The Express Tribune.

SWAT teams The other intervention is about the safety of malls, which are a soft target owing to the crowds. With the intention of protecting malls, especially from terrorist attacks, South District police have raised a four-member Malls Liaison Unit to take on the challenge as a special weapons and tactics (SWAT) team in any eventuality. Whilst the unit concentrates on measures to counter terrorism, it will also work against other threats, such as theft, burglary and . Police have deployed their commandos as behaviour officers clad in plainclothes. They are a resource for the malls they are mandated to police — always available to militate against the threat of terrorism and making South district less vulnerable to an attack.

―These commandos, who are present among common citizens, will respond to any threat within the malls‘ premises. They are well-oriented with entries, exits, corridors, passages, shops, lifts, CCTV command and control rooms, basements, and approaches to every floor,‖ the SSP said, adding that the unit has already been deployed at Dolmen Mall, Ocean Mall and The Place.

―Mall administrations have welcomed the initiative and have provided lockers to the officers for keeping their articles under lock and key in malls,‖ he said, adding that they would also replicate the same system in other malls.

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Community police module The ―community police module‖ is now a part of ―Sindh Police‘s Curriculum Development‖ programme and revised the syllabus of various promotional courses such as lower school, intermediate school, and upper school for probationer assistant sub - inspectors as well.

―This course has now become compulsory for the police. From constable to inspector level, all police staffers have to pass a 100-mark subject about community policing, otherwise, they would not be promoted to the next grade,‖ said Iqbal Detho, a human rights expert who prepared the module. He added, ―The aim is to improve their professional skills and educate them on community policing philosophies‖. He said that they have trained all the police master trainers at training centres across Si ndh so that they can now do the teaching.

The community policing module comprises around 200 pages. National and international guidelines regarding community policing, community policing in cities and police station level, protecting human rights through community policing, standard operating procedure for community policing, community policing through gender-responsive approaches and countering extremism are among the areas covered in the training module book. (By Hafeez Tunio The Express Tribune, 04, 01/04/2019)

Justiciable rights?

THE prime minister has recently expressed his intention to amend the Constitution and bring socioeconomic rights such as the right to food, shelter, clothing, education and health within the ambit of fundamental rights that can be enforced in our courts.

At present, these rights are not justiciable. This means that even though the state is required to provide housing, a person who is denied this facility cannot petition the court to obtain one.

The prime minister proposes to change this by enabling citizens to compel the government to provide them with the most basic necessities of life. The idea is driven by the desire to promote social justice. Though it may be noble and lofty in theory, it may not work out in practice.

When you impose an affirmative obligation on the state to provide for the satisfaction of its citizens‘ material needs and make that obligation justiciable, you end up taking power away from the people and give it to a group of unelected judges who can veto the collective will of the people.

One of the primary functions of government is to determine how scarce resources are to be allocated and distributed amongst the competing claims of different individuals. People can disagree on how well the government has gone about its business and whether the existing distribution of resources is just or unjust. But these matters are best left to the political process where people can discuss them with one another and have a fair chance of convincing their peers of the merits of their proposals. What gives legitimacy to the political process is the fact that the losers of today can become the winners of tomorrow.

The idea may be lofty in theory, but does not work in practice.

When a counter-majoritarian institution acquires a veto over a matter that otherwise ought to be left to the people, it undermines not just the popular will of today but also the democratic deliberation of the future because the losers of today‘s process know that even if they have a fair chance of winning tomorrow, there is no guarantee that their vision of distributive and social justice will be implemented as it must now also be approved by another branch of government. Becoming a winner in the political process is no longer enough.

Another reason why socioeconomic rights should not be made justiciable is because the judicial branch is not well-suited to making such determinations. Securing socioeconomic rights requires resource allocation. Because resources are scarce, every decision regarding the allocation and distribution of such resources involves an opportunity cost. Money spent on road infrastructure could instead have been spent on providing shelter. These choices should be made by the people.

If socioeconomic rights become justiciable and some people are still without adequate housing, any project can be challenged on the grounds that instead of discharging its affirmative obligation to provide housing, the government has diverted money elsewhere. Judges would then need to exercise restraint in order to ensure that they don‘t get drawn into deciding the constitutionality of every government project.

But what judicial yardstick will they use to determine when a particular road or other infrastructure project infringes upon the people‘s right to adequate food, housing, clothing, education and health? And how can we be so sure that an individual crusader will not emerge from within the judicial ranks to upend the entire system?

The issue is not restricted to projects only. Many laws will become subject to constitutional challenge too. A zoning law that imposes design and uses restrictions could also be challenged because it makes home ownership more expensive. And the list goes on and on.

Despite all this, one argument can still be made in favour of the prime minister‘s proposal. People who do not have access to food, housing or clothing are the poorest of the poor of our society who have failed to command any attention in the political arena. Since

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By making socioeconomic rights justiciable, the Constitution gives them an important stake in the distribution of social goods and a voice that they would not have otherwise had. Even though the argument is plausible, the problem can still be solved by making the political process more inclusive and devolving greater powers to local governments that are closer and more responsive to the people. Inviting judicial intrusion into complex questions of resource allocation is not the best way of going about it.

So while we must strive towards creating a more egalitarian society, the means we employ to provide the disenfranchised amongst us with the most basic necessitates of life ought to be contested. Making socioeconomic rights justiciable should not be one of the options. (By Bakhtawar Bilal Soofi Dawn, 09, 02/04/2019)

In Karachi, 90 people killed while 16,421 deprived of valuables in 2019: CPLC

At least 90 people were killed in separate incidents while 16,421 citizens were deprived of their mobile phones, motorcycles and cars during the first three months of the current year.

According to a report released by the Citizen Police Liaison Committee (CPLC), in January, 21 people were killed in the city, in February 38 people were killed and in March 30 people were killed.

Detailing the crime statistics from January 1 to March 26, 2019, the report said that a total of 3,424 mobile phones were snatched in January, 3,159 in February and 2,991 in March. The report further stated that 1,966 motorcycles were reported stolen or snatched in January, 1,990 in February and 1,857 in March. A total of 135 cars were snatched or stolen in January, 96 in February and 231 in March.

According to the report, eight extortion complaints were registered in the three months, and two robberies were reported.

Two arrested Meanwhile, in a press conference on Sunday at the Cantt Station, the Railway Police claimed to have arrested two men near Karachi Cantt Station for possessing smuggled items.

Railway SSP Shehla Qureshi said, ―Police were busy monitoring and checking suspects at Traffic Point Railway Station when they came across a silver car, bearing registration number BKB-202, that was leaving the station‖. The car was stopped for suspicious activity, she said.

The man in the driving seat introduced himself as Mustafa, son of Sikandar, and the man seated in the back seat introduced himself as Manzil, son of Qasim Khan. When the police asked to search their car, the two suspects became apprehensive. On inspection, the police found three travelling bags in the boot of the car which contained 735 expensive mobile phones.

The suspects were asked to produce papers confirming that the Customs duty was paid on the phones failing which, they were arrested.

The two men are residents of New Town and Liaquatabad and own a shop in a mobile market. The seized mobile phones were brought from Faisalabad to Karachi via Millat Express. (By Our Correspondent The Express Tribune, 05, 02/04/2019)

Arsonist smoked hashish before setting Baldia factory on fire: eyewitness

An important development took place in the proceedings in the Baldia factory fire case on Tuesday. A witness, who had not appeared before the court earlier due to threats to his life, came forward and recorded his statement. The special anti-terrorism court hearing the case issued notices to the judicial magistrate after the counsels for the accused completed cross-examination of the witness.

Special public prosecutor Sajid Mehbood Sheikh presented the eyewitness before the court. The witness, whose name was not disclosed due to security concerns, recorded his statement before the court and identified accused Zubair Charya.

The witness stated that he was present at the Baldia factory on the day of the incident. He said that Zubair Charya and his accomplices came to the warehouse on that day. They smoked hashish outside the warehouse bathroom after which Zubair Charya threw packets of chemicals on the clothes in the warehouse which immediately caught fire, said the eyewitness. Zubair Charya then did the same at the second floor, he added.

According to the witness, Charya was smiling as the fire broke out. ―I can identify the accomplices of Zubair Charya,‖ claimed the witness.

Public Prosecutor Sheikh said that accused Abdur Rehman alias Bhola had confessed in his statement that he had given the chemicals to Zubair Charya, to put the factory on fire.

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The counsels for Charya and Abdur Rehman cross-questioned the witness over his statement. They asked why the witness was recording his statement after such a long time.

―I had threats to my life which is why I went to Punjab,‖ replied the witness. ―The joint investigation team (JIT) summoned me and took responsibility for my security which is why I came and recorded the statement,‖ he added.

The eyewitness also recorded the statement under Section 164 before the judicial magistrate.

The court issued notice to the judicial magistrate for his statement on the next hearing, and adjourned the hearing.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, prosecutor Sheikh said that accused Rehman had confessed that he was also present near the factory at the time of the fire and had witnessed the entire incident with his eyes.

The case Over 250 workers were burnt alive when the multi-storey garment factory building was set on fire in in September, 2012.

In February last year, an anti-terrorism court (ATC) had finally indicted Muttahida Qaumi Movement – Pakistan (MQM-P) lawmaker Rauf Siddiqui, former sector incharge Abdul Rehman alias Bhola, Zubair alias Charya, Abdul Sattar Khan, Umar Hassan Kadri, Iqbal Adeeb Khanum and four gatekeepers of the ill-fated industrial unit – Shahrukh, Fazal Ahmed, Arshad Mehmood and Ali Mohammad – for their alleged involvement in the tragic incident.

According to the prosecution, Bhola, during interrogation as well as before a magistrate, had disclosed that he along with Zubair and others had set fire to the factory on the instructions of then chief of the MQM organising committee Hammad Siddiqui because the factory owners had refused to pay the demanded ‗protection money‘.

In February, earlier this year, another eyewitness had identified Zubair Charya as having been present at the factory when it was set on fire. People were burning in the fire inside the factory and Zubair Charya was smiling, the eyewitness had told the court.

Twists and turns Initially, the police had charge-sheeted the owners – Abdul Aziz Bhaila and his sons Arshad and Shahid – as well as some employees of the ill-fated industrial unit in the tragic incident. However, reinvestigation of the case was ordered in March 2016 through a joint investigation team after an earlier JIT report, which was submitted in the Sindh High Court in February 2015, revealed that the factory was set on fire after its owners failed to pay ‗protection money‘. (By Nasir Butt The Express Tribune, 04, 03/04/2019)

Unidentified men break into federal minster’s house, torture him

Unidentified men entered on Monday night the house of former Sindh chief minister and incumbent Federal Anti-Narcotics Minister, Sardar Ali Muhammad Khan Mahar of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), took the servants hostage and tortured the minster and fled.

The police said that the initial investigation suggests that the incident was a robbery attempt, however, further investigati ons are underway.

The incident took place around 11:30pm on Khayaban-e-Jabal in Phase IV, Defence Housing Authority (DHA). Unidentified men entered the house, took the servants hostage and then entered the minister‘s room where they tortured him before fleeing the house.

When the police learned of the incident, SHO along with a police party reached the scene where they found the injured minister. They immediately shifted Sardar to a private hospital in Clifton.

South SSP Pir Muhammad Shah, several police officers and PTI leaders also reached the minister‘s residence and later visited the hospital. Shah said that according to the federal minster‘s initial statement, there were more than 10 suspects. He said that the suspects injured Sardar during a fight inside the house. He added that it seemed like a robbery bid, but further investig ation was being conducted.

While talking to the media, PTI MPA Khurram Sher Zaman held the Sindh government responsible for the incident. He said that the provincial government was incompetent and failed to provide security to the lives and property of the public. ―How can a common man be safe when a federal minister is not safe in the city?‖ He added that his family members have also been robbed by dacoits twice or thrice in Karachi.

Sardar‘s friend and lawyer, Javed Meer, said that around six to seven people entered the house. He said that medical assistance was being provided to the minister and once his condition stabilises, he will speak to the media.

Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) leader and member of the provincial assembly, Shaharyar Mahar, also reached the hospital to inquire about the minister‘s health. He said, ―Ali Muhammad Mahar is a man of simple traits and does not like to have security‖.

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Clifton SP Suhai Aziz said that around 12 suspects entered the minister‘s residence and inquired about the servants, Yaseen and Murad. They also inquired about a briefcase. The suspects took a mobile phone and briefcase with them, she added.

A doctor at the hospital has said that Sardar received a head injury. The investigation officers will record his statement to day (Wednesday).

The police are investigating the incident from different angles. Footages obtained from CCTV cameras installed near the residence are also being reviewed. (By Our Correspondent The Express Tribune, 05, 03/04/2019)

Over 57,000 accused at large in Sindh, police tell SHC

Police on Friday told the Sindh High Court that the number of absconders in the province was 57,000 and over 22,000 of them were in Karachi alone.

A superintendent of police filed a report in this regard before a single bench headed by Justice Salahuddin Panhwar.

Last month, the bench had directed the police to submit the details of absconding accused on a petition filed by Ms Nooran against the SSP West and others seeking arrest of the accused involved in the murder case of her son.

The number of absconders in Karachi alone is 22,171

The police report said that there were a total of 57,224 absconders in the province. Of them, 22,171 accused persons were at large in Karachi and 35,053 in remaining five divisions of the province.

The cases of 1,347 absconders are pending before the antiterrorism courts of Karachi, it added.

Similarly, the cases of 7,044 absconding accused are pending trial before the ATCs of Hyderabad, Sukkur, Larkana, Mirpurkhas and Shaheed Benazirabad and 28,009 before other courts of five divisions.

The report further stated that requests had been made to the assistant inspector general (legal-II) of police to approach the Federal Investigation Agency to make efforts for the placement of the names of absconders on the Exit Control List.

The AIG was also asked to request the director general of National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) to block the computerised national identity cards (CNICs) of the absconders in compliance with the orders of the SHC, it added.

The bench directed the police to make serious efforts for the arrest of absconders.

Interim bail of former PPP minister extended

The National Accountability Bureau on Friday submitted a reply before the SHC in a matter pertaining to an inquiry against former federal minister Aijaz Hussain Jakhrani.

On the last hearing, the SHC had granted interim pre-arrest bail to the former Pakistan Peoples Party minister and asked NAB to file a reply.

The bureau submitted that NAB-Rawalpindi had been holding an inquiry against many persons, including the applicant, in the fake bank accounts case and a scam regarding purchase of vehicles and payment of import duties through fake bank accounts.

It maintained that NAB-Rawalpindi was conducting the inquiry on the directive of the Supreme Court and if cognizable offence was made out, then a reference would be filed before the accountability court at Islamabad. Therefore, the SHC lacked jurisdiction to entertain the application of Jakhrani, it stated.

NAB argued that relevant documents were collected from the Customs department and motor registration authority in Karachi pertaining to the clearance and registration of an armoured vehicle in the name of the former minister and upon the confirmation of ownership, the applicant was called to explain the sources being utilised for the acquisition of such a vehicle.

A division bench of the SHC extended the interim bail of the PPP leader till May 3 and asked NAB to file a progress report in the next hearing. (By Ishaq Tanoli Dawn, 15, 06/04/2019)

More than 50,000 accused at large in Sindh, police tell court

A report submitted by the Sindh Police to the Sindh High Court has revealed that there are over 50,000 absconding suspects, including 8,391 accused in terrorism cases, at large in the province. The report raises several questions on the performance of the law enforcement agencies who claim to have brought peace not just to the city, but the province at large.

The list of absconders was compiled on the orders of SHC Justice Salahuddin Panhwar in response to a petition filed by Musamat Nooran Bibi.

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The case In her petition, Bibi had told the court that her son had been killed near Alfalah in Karachi around two years ago. Subsequently, the court had released four accused on bail, while two others had never been arrested and had been declared absconders.

On Friday, the petitioner‘s lawyer, Zulfiqar Ali Jalbani, told the court that one of the absconders, Meral Khushk was living in Khanpur, while the second absconder, Ghulam Razzak Khushk was living in Kandiaro.

Jalbani said that two years had passed since the murder but the absconders were roaming freely, while the police were making no efforts for their arrest. He pleaded the court to order the police to arrest the absconders and produce them in the court. Justice Panhwar ordered the police to apprehend the absconders within 15 days.

During the hearing of the case on March 7, 2019, the court had also ordered the police department to furnish details of all the accused, who were currently on the run from the law.

The report On Friday, the West Zone Investigation-II SP submitted the report to the court, which reveals that over half of the absconders are those whose cases are registered in Karachi. Their number stands at 28,009 accused, 1,347 of whom are being tried in anti-terrorism courts.

The report also breaks down the number of absconders in the city‘s police range. These include 2,756 in City, 2,294 in South, 3,819 in Korangi, 6,004 in Malir, 2,456 in East, 3,617 in West, 1,140 in Central. The remaining are those whose cases are registered with specialised units such as the Anti-Violent Crime Cell and the Anti-Car Lifting Cell.

Besides, the report states, that as many as 28,009 accused are on the run in the rest of the province. These include 13,155 accused are on the run in , 6,301 in , 3,841 in , 742 in Mirpurkhas and 3,970 in Shaheed Benazirabad.

Course of action According to the report submitted to the court, the Sindh Police Legal AIG will reach out to the Federal Investigation Agency and request to place the names of the absconders on the Exit Control List.

The Legal AIG has also been intimated to contact the National Database and Registration Authority to block their Computerised National Identity Cards. The latter move would render the CNICs of the absconding suspects useless and would flag it on the system if they were to attempt to use it. Both these steps are also being taken on the court‘s orders. (By Nasir Butt The Express Tribune, 04, 06/04/2019)

Family demands justice as schoolboy killed in crossfire in Quaidabad

A 10-year-old boy was killed in an exchange of gunfire between policemen in civvies and a suspected criminal in Quaidabad, police said on Saturday.

The incident took place late on Friday night in which two policemen, another boy and the suspect sustained bullet wounds.

The police claimed that the boy was killed by the firing of the wounded suspect, who had been held and booked for murder.

A senior police officer claims that the boy died in firing by a suspected criminal

DIG East Amir Farooqi told Dawn that the two policemen in civvies were on intelligence-gathering duty in the Muslimabad area when they came across a suspect, identified as Sher Zaman.

The suspect allegedly opened fire on the police officials before entering a house. The policemen, identified as Tahir Sharafat, 26, and Attaullah, 26, chased the fleeing suspect and in an ensuing encounter they along with the suspect suffered bullet injuries.

The DIG said that two boys — Sajjad Khan, 10, and Umer Khan, 12 — were also caught in the crossfire.

‘Genuine encounter’ The DIG claimed that ―it was a genuine encounter‖.

―Policemen got injured and they fired in self-defence,‖ he said, adding: ―The suspect fired 12-15 bullets and changed the magazine once.‖

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He said that he went inside a house and held the residents hostage. ―The child [Sajjad] got hit by his firing ... this is confirmed by many eyewitnesses.‖

Dr Seemin Jamali, the executive director of the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), said Sajjad was brought in critical condition as he sustained bullet wounds in the head and right arm. He was put on a ventilator but died during treatment late on Friday night.

However, Umer‘s injuries were not critical as he suffered a bullet wound in the leg. Policeman Tahir was later shifted to the Aga Khan University Hospital as his condition was stated to be serious. The suspect sustained a bullet wound in the leg, the JPMC official added.

Family seeks justice ―It is correct that Sajjad Khan, 10, was shot dead during an exchange of fire but we don‘t know whose bullets caused his death,‖ said Saddam Husain, who said he was a cousin of the victim. ―We don‘t have money to file a case before court.‖

―If we don‘t get justice in this world, we would seek justice from Almighty Allah,‖ he added.

He said that the deceased boy was a student of class three.

His father, Adalat Khan, was a rickshaw driver and he originally hailed from Swat.

Suspect booked for boy’s murder Quaidabad SHO Shoaib Qureshi said that the police registered a case against suspect Sher Zaman on murder, attempted murder and terrorism charges.

He said that the suspect had come back from his native village in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa some five to six days ago. He claimed that the policemen got information about his arrival in the city and they tried to arrest him.

He said that the suspect knew the policemen as he had been arrested several times by the Quaidabad police in various cases. But he opened fire, which resulted in an exchange of gunfire between him and the police, he added.

The area SHO said that the suspect was also involved in murder, attempted murder, robberies and several other cases. He was also involved in a case pertaining to injuring two policemen. (By Imtiaz Ali Dawn, 15, 07/04/2019)

Constable, passer-by killed by two drunken men for ‘joy’ in DHA

Two people, including a policeman, were shot dead and another man was wounded by two armed men travelling in a vehicle in the Defence area early on Sunday morning.

SSP-South Pir Muhammad Shah said that the suspects killed the people for ―some joy‖ under the influence of drugs.

Police and hospital officials said that Constable Khalid Mehmood, 35, and Ramzan, 28, were killed and Saeed Ahmed, 30, was wounded.

Police say the suspects fired at people without any apparent reason

The incident took place on Street 25, Khayaban-i-Bukhari, DHA Phase-VI, near the Misri Shah shrine.

A Darakhshan police officer said that they received information that two suspects travelling in a Vigo had gunned down two persons and injured the third one at around 3.35am.

The officer said that the constable was not wearing his uniform at the time of the incident as he was deputed in civvies to prevent shop robberies/thefts in the area.

Dr Seemin Jamali, executive director of the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, said that both the constable and civilian were brought dead to the hospital.

The constable had sustained a bullet wound in the head and the civilian suffered a bullet injury in the chest.

Dr Jamali added that injured Saeed had sustained bullet wounds in the chest, neck and shoulder.

Clifton SP Suhai Aziz said that the suspects were drunk when they carried out firing.

She said the police conducted interviews of some eyewitnesses, obtained details of the vehicle used in the crime, CCTV footage and ballistic material and other evidence.

The police also conducted search of different hospitals for two drunken men and later they found one of them, identified as Nazeer Sardar Qandhari, in the Aga Khan University Hospital in drunken condition, she said.

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The wounded man and an eyewitness identified him, the SP said, adding that the held suspect had also killed a person in the Defence area last year.

―Nazeer is already wanted in a murder case registered at the Sahil police station,‖ she said. ―He is a habitual alcoholic and addict of [drug] ice.‖

He originally hailed from Qandhar but his family lived in Dalbandin, Balochistan. He told the police that he along with three other friends had attended a party in the area.

No specific motive SSP-South Pir Muhammad Shah said on Sunday evening that another suspect was also arrested a murder and terrorism case was registered against the two suspects.

DIG-South Sharjeel Kharal told Dawn that the initial probe revealed that apparently there was no specific motive behind the killing. He said that the constable was on intelligence duty and patrolling on his motorbike and the two other victims were also riding a motorbike on the other side of the lane.

The suspects, who were intoxicated, rashly drove the vehicle and opened indiscriminate firing on them, he added.

After the incident, the suspects stayed at a house in Khayaban-i-Tariq, in Phase-VIII. The police also raided that place and seized some contraband items. Subsequently, someone got Qandhari admitted into the AKUH at around 5am where the police obtained his photo and showed to the witnesses who identified him as the same suspect, the DIG said.

Funeral Funeral prayer of the slain constable was held at the Garden Police Headquarters. Sindh police chief Syed Kaleem Imam, senior officers, MPA Shaharyar Mahar and others attended it.

The IGP expressed regrets with the heirs and said that the police would bear all educational expenses of his children.

The victim policeman originally hailed from . (By Imtiaz Ali Dawn, 13, 08/04/2019)

Model courts

ACCORDING to Article 37 (d) of the Constitution, every citizen of the state has the right to ―inexpensive and expeditious‖ justice. And yet, one of the foremost grievances against the legal system in this country is its sheer lethargy, resulting in a massive backlog of cases, many of which are described as ‗frivolous‘ by litigators who say these will never be resolved, wasting precious time and resources in the process. At the beginning of the year, an estimated 1.9m cases awaited the new chief justice, Asif Saeed Khosa, who had said he wanted to build ―... a dam against undue and unnecessary delays in judicial determination of cases‖. He proposed the setting up of model courts in every district of the country to conduct daily trials on murder and narcotics-related cases (for now). The idea of model courts, as they exist today, was first introduced by him. The courts were under the supervision of Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, albeit restricted to Punjab. Unlike the district courts, which suffer from budgetary constraints, model courts have greater administrative and technological facilities. They deliver verdicts under an agreed timeline, without adjournment. Additionally, a monitoring and evaluation cell under the command of the chief justice or chairman of the National Judicial (Policy Making) Committee reviews the workings of the courts every two months.

While all this sounds commendable in theory — and model courts have indeed had success in parts of the country — introducing them across Pakistan will present its own set of challenges, particularly when we remember Chief Justice Khosa‘s own complaint about the lack of judges in the country. There is also a fear that, if not handled carefully, model courts may eventually devolve into a parallel legal system, as opposed to remaining a complementary one. Lastly, despite the maxim that justice delayed is justice denied, ‗speedy justice‘ can be misused as a cover for denying a fair trial. In the quick dispensation of ‗justice‘, due process must still be ensured. (By Editorial Dawn, 08, 10/04/2019)

SC and minority rights

THE conferment of the International Justice Excellence Award on former chief justice of Pakistan at The Hague is an honour for Pakistan; Mr Jillani deserves to be felicitated by the nation.

The award was given by the International Institute for Justice of the Netherlands to Mr Jillani for promoting justice at home and around the world. The institute had taken special notice of his judgement of June 2014 on minority communities‘ right to protection.

Before we look back on that judgement, it may not be out of place to acknowledge the high place former chief justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani occupies in the history of the Pakistan judiciary. He became a judge of the in 1994 and served on its bench for a decade, during which period he established his reputation as a fair-minded judge who interpreted the law without any biases.

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Elevated to the Supreme Court in July 2004, he was a member of the bench that upheld Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry‘s challenge to his ouster by Gen Musharraf and restored him to the office of the country‘s top judge. Justice Jillani became chief justice of Pakistan in 2013, on the retirement of Iftikhar Chaudhry. At that time, the Supreme Court was inviting much criticism for giving preference to the exercise of its suo motu jurisdiction at the cost of its normal functions. Mr Chaudhry received handsome tributes from his supporters, but quite a few critical voices were also raised.

Nearly five years down the line, the Supreme Court judgement remains largely unimplemented.

Even before taking over as chief justice, Mr Jillani tried to end the suo motu controversy. The outgoing chief justice defended his extensive use of suo motu powers as a means of safeguarding the people‘s fundamental rights. Justice Jillani promised to honour the court‘s traditions but said it was necessary to review reliance on suo motu power and to use it within constitutional limits. During his seven-month tenure, the court took suo motu notice of only a couple of cases in 2013 and one case in 2014.

The first decision chief justice Jillani and his brother judges took was to forego their winter vacations and push on with the disposal of pending cases. Within a week, a press reporter noted a number of changes and stated that ―bench number one had taken up every single case, unlike the past when the hearing of suo motu or other high-profile cases used to consume the whole day. The pending petitions filed under Article 184 (1) and suo motu are taken up after regular cases‖.

A full court meeting of the Supreme Court, on the eve of chief justice Jillani‘s retirement, reviewed the disposal of cases by the apex court. The court was told that 3,533 cases out of the 3,862 instituted between April 5 and June 30, 2014, had been decided. Justice Asif Saeed Khosa said 2,000 of the 3,700 criminal cases had been decided over the preceding six months.

Since the Chaudhry court‘s deviation from judicial propriety under the banner of activism or populism was not the last instance of its kind, the need to acknowledge any efforts to restore judicial propriety cannot be exaggerated.

It is an ironical turn of events that the judgement for which former chief justice Jillani has won accolades at home and abroad is yet to be properly implemented. Chief justice Jillani took suo motu notice of a letter complaining of lack of proper action in the case of the terrorist attack on a Peshawar church in September 2013 in which 81 people were killed. He also took notice of petitions on attacks on Hindu temples and shrines and the threats to the Kalashas as well as Ismailis in Chitral. The three-member bench headed by the chief justice made some recommendations:

1) ―The federal government should constitute a task force tasked with developing a strategy of religious tolerance.‖

2) Improve the curricula for schools and colleges to promote religious tolerance.

3) ―The federal government should take appropriate steps to ensure that hate speeches in social media are discouraged and the delinquents are brought to justice....‖

4) The government should constitute a ―national council for minorities‘ rights. The functions of the ... council should inter alia be to monitor the practical realisation of the rights and safeguards provided to the minorities under the Constitution and law. The council should also be mandated to frame policy recommendations for safeguarding and protecting minorities‘ rights by the provincial and federal governments.

5) ―A special police force be established with special training to protect the places of worship of minorities.‖

6) The federal government and all provincial governments ―should ensure the enforcement of the relevant policy directives regarding the reservation of quota for minorities in all services.

7) ―In all cases of violation of any of the rights guaranteed under the law or desecration of the places of worship of minorities the concerned law-enforcing agencies should promptly take action, including the registration of criminal cases against the delinquents.‖ Finally the court passed an order to ensure compliance with its directives in these words: ―The office shall open a separate file to be placed before a three-member bench to ensure this judgement is given effect to ... the said bench may also entertain complaints/ petitions relatable to violations of fundamental rights of minorities in the country.‖

Nearly five years down the line, the Supreme Court judgement remains largely unimplemented. The importance of the court‘s directives cannot be contested. Moreover, the minorities have accepted the judgement as a charter of their demands. Recently, two civil society organisations moved the Supreme Court for directing expeditious implementation of the verdict. The court created a one-man commission to present a compliance report, but nothing is known about its labours. This arrangement, it may be submitted, amounts to disregarding the points in the judgment.

The minorities find it difficult to keep the hope of justice alive. (By I.A. Rehman Dawn, 08, 11/04/2019)

SHC orders Sindh govt to pay blood money on behalf of poor prisoners

The Sindh High Court (SHC) ordered the Sindh government on Friday to release the blood money owed by prisoners, who cannot afford to do so and submit it in the trial courts within a week.

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A two-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Ahmed Ali Sheikh and comprising Justice Omar Sial, heard the petition regarding the release of 35 prisoners who had not paid the blood money. The court remarked that the poor prisoners should be released after the payment of blood money on their behalf.

The chief secretary assured the court that the money would be paid within 10 days after the approval by the committee comprising Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani and other ministers. The CJ asked why the money could not be paid today instead of ten days. He said that perhaps the chief secretary can also spend a day inside the jail. ―Then you will come to know what it is like,‖ the court said.

The CJ remarked that if the government can issue funds for bungalows and personal advertisements, then why not for poor prisoners. He added, ―Don‘t know how many prisoners have died inside the jail waiting for their release‖.

The court also directed to formulate laws for the payment of blood money and to determine the ages of the prisoners.

Federal Human Rights Secretary Javeria said that the age limit of prisoners, who are eligible for release, is being reduced to 40 years instead of 60 years. The court remarked that the Centre and the province should resolve the issue together and added they would not be closing the case.

NAB report rejected The same bench, hearing the case of a fake call-up notice sent by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to a citizen, Shamshad Ali, rejected the report submitted by NAB Intelligence and Deputy-Director Afsar Gul Afridi.

The report maintained that after the call-up notice was issued, the accused was called from the registrar‘s office in accountability court, Hyderabad. The police are also investigating this issue. NAB investigation officer (IO) does not issue call-up notices to anyone directly.

The court summoned the NAB director-general to appear before the court on April 16. While taking NAB‘s record register in custody, the CJ remarked that the record register submitted in the court was also misleading and seemed as though it was prepared just yesterday.

The court remarked that a case pertaining to the kidnap of a citizen was registered against Afridi and as soon as it was registered, he got himself transferred to Islamabad on his own request.

NAB prosecutor argued that the NAB has investigated the issue and the call-up notice hasn‘t been issued by NAB. To which, the CJ questioned how it was possible that the NAB committed a crime and decided to investigate it by itself? He asked why the Federal Investigation Agency should not be ordered to investigate against NAB.

NAB prosecutor said that the court may order investigation of the case through anyone, as it deems fit. He added that the Inter - Services Intelligence can also be asked to look into the matter and investigate it and NAB wouldn‘t have any issue. On this, the CJ scolded the prosecutor and told him to keep quiet.

Notices issued The SHC issued notices to the Sindh government, Sindh IGP, law secretary and others seeking reply by April 26 on the plea filed seeking a ban on gutka by a cancer patient, Naseem Haider. A two-member bench comprising Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Justice Agha Faisal heard the plea in which the court inquired what the petitioner wanted, a compensation or medical treatment.

The counsel for the petitioner, Muzamil Mumtaz Mayo, said that the government should provide compensation to his client. Mayo maintained that gutka was still being sold openly all over the city and his client had become a cancer patient due to consumption of gutka, but, he added, Haider does not have enough money for his treatment.

He said that the police don‘t arrest the people involved in the sale of gutka and if they ever do get arrested, the courts re lease them on bails. Nobody cares that people are dying by eating gutka, he added. He further said that a report should be sought from the IGP about how many gutka manufacturing machines have been confiscated by the police. He said that the gutka factories in Karachi are running with the police‘s support and added that the court should instruct the Sindh IGP, DIG and SS P that the FIRs regarding gutka should be filed under Section 336 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) under which the offence is unbailable.

The court sought replies from the East judicial magistrate, Korangi investigation SSP and IO.

Death sentence commuted The SHC rejected the plea against the death sentence awarded to a criminal, in a case regarding a marriage proposal that led to murder. A two-member bench, comprising Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto and Justice KK Agha, was hearing the case in which the court announced the verdict and commuted the death sentence awarded to the convict, Asif Muneer, with life imprisonment and annulled the sentence of life imprisonment awarded to the co-accused, Seema Mulook, by an anti-terrorism court.

According to the police, the accused had killed the deceased, Samiullah, in FB Area in 2013. The police had arrested the accused from the place of incident in injured condition. The accused were in conflict with the deceased over a marriage proposal.

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(By Our Correspondent The Express Tribune, 05, 13/04/2019)

SHC orders Sindh govt to pay blood money on behalf of poor prisoners

The Sindh High Court (SHC) ordered the Sindh government on Friday to release the blood money owed by prisoners, who cannot afford to do so and submit it in the trial courts within a week.

A two-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Ahmed Ali Sheikh and comprising Justice Omar Sial, heard the petition regarding the release of 35 prisoners who had not paid the blood money. The court remarked that the poor prisoners should be released after the payment of blood money on their behalf.

The chief secretary assured the court that the money would be paid within 10 days after the approval by the committee comprising Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani and other ministers. The CJ asked why the money could not be paid today instead of ten days. He said that perhaps the chief secretary can also spend a day inside the jail. ―Then you will come to kn ow what it is like,‖ the court said.

The CJ remarked that if the government can issue funds for bungalows and personal advertisements, then why not for poor prisoners. He added, ―Don‘t know how many prisoners have died inside the jail waiting for their release‖.

The court also directed to formulate laws for the payment of blood money and to determine the ages of the prisoners.

Federal Human Rights Secretary Javeria said that the age limit of prisoners, who are eligible for release, is being reduced t o 40 years instead of 60 years. The court remarked that the Centre and the province should resolve the issue together and added they would not be closing the case.

NAB report rejected The same bench, hearing the case of a fake call-up notice sent by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to a citizen, Shamshad Ali, rejected the report submitted by NAB Intelligence and Deputy-Director Afsar Gul Afridi.

The report maintained that after the call-up notice was issued, the accused was called from the registrar‘s office in accountability court, Hyderabad. The police are also investigating this issue. NAB investigation officer (IO) does not issue call-up notices to anyone directly.

The court summoned the NAB director-general to appear before the court on April 16. While taking NAB‘s record register in custody, the CJ remarked that the record register submitted in the court was also misleading and seemed as though it was prepared just yesterday.

The court remarked that a case pertaining to the kidnap of a citizen was registered against Afridi and as soon as it was registered, he got himself transferred to Islamabad on his own request.

NAB prosecutor argued that the NAB has investigated the issue and the call-up notice hasn‘t been issued by NAB. To which, the CJ questioned how it was possible that the NAB committed a crime and decided to investigate it by itself? He asked why the Federal Investigation Agency should not be ordered to investigate against NAB.

NAB prosecutor said that the court may order investigation of the case through anyone, as it deems fit. He added that the Int er- Services Intelligence can also be asked to look into the matter and investigate it and NAB wouldn‘t have any issue. On this, the CJ scolded the prosecutor and told him to keep quiet.

Notices issued The SHC issued notices to the Sindh government, Sindh IGP, law secretary and others seeking reply by April 26 on the plea filed seeking a ban on gutka by a cancer patient, Naseem Haider. A two-member bench comprising Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Justice Agha Faisal heard the plea in which the court inquired what the petitioner wanted, a compensation or medical treatment.

The counsel for the petitioner, Muzamil Mumtaz Mayo, said that the government should provide compensation to his client. Mayo maintained that gutka was still being sold openly all over the city and his client had become a cancer patient due to consumption of gutka, but, he added, Haider does not have enough money for his treatment.

He said that the police don‘t arrest the people involved in the sale of gutka and if they ever do get arrested, the courts re lease them on bails. Nobody cares that people are dying by eating gutka, he added. He further said that a report should be sought from the IGP about how many gutka manufacturing machines have been confiscated by the police. He said that the gutka factories in Karachi are running with the police‘s support and added that the court should instruct the Sindh IGP, DIG and SSP that the FIRs regarding gutka should be filed under Section 336 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) under which the offence is unbailable.

The court sought replies from the East judicial magistrate, Korangi investigation SSP and Zaman Town IO.

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Death sentence commuted The SHC rejected the plea against the death sentence awarded to a criminal, in a case regarding a marriage proposal that led to murder. A two-member bench, comprising Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto and Justice KK Agha, was hearing the case in which the court announced the verdict and commuted the death sentence awarded to the convict, Asif Muneer, with life imprisonment and annulled the sentence of life imprisonment awarded to the co-accused, Seema Mulook, by an anti-terrorism court.

According to the police, the accused had killed the deceased, Samiullah, in FB Area in 2013. The police had arrested the accused from the place of incident in injured condition. The accused were in conflict with the deceased over a marriage proposal. (By Our Correspondent The Express Tribune, 05, 13/04/2019)

Legislation passed on Alternate Dispute Resolution will provide justice to common men: Wahab

Adviser to Sindh Chief Minister (CM) on Information, Law and Anti-Corruption, Barrister Murtaza Wahab has asked police officers to focus on policing instead of policymaking.

He was talking to media after an International Conference on Alternative Dispute Resolution at a local hotel, organised by the Sindh Judicial Academy in collaboration with Legal Aid Society on Saturday.

The aim of the conference was to focus on mediation, including regional advances from around Asia. It shared a range of success stories of formal Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanism from both the national and international level so that newly trained meditators could benefit in terms of enhancing their understanding and interest in mediation.

Wahab said that the provincial assembly at the start of the year passed a bill through which the role of the Saalis (arbitrator) was made persuasive. Wahab said that Sindh was the first province to pass such legislation that would empower the mediator and to facilitate the people who wanted out-of-court settlements.

He said that the sole aim of this legislation was to provide justice to common men.

The adviser also said that the provincial assembly had been playing its due role for long and now it was up to the honourable judges to achieve what they cherished the most. He said that sustainable change could only be achieved when all three organs of the state worked together to bring about the solutions to problems that were being faced by the people of the country.

He ensured that any executive intervention if and when needed to make the process of ADR more effective would be provided by the Sindh government without ado. Sindh High Court Chief Justice Ahmed Ali Shaikh, former judge of Supreme Court (SC) of Pakistan and Chairperson Legal Aid Society Justice Nasir Aslam Zahid, former Judge of SC and Director-General of Sindh Judicial Academy Justice Khilji Arif Husain, former Judge of SC Justice Ghulam Rabbani and district and sessions judge of Karachi West Khalid Hussain Shahani spoke at the conference.

Later, while speaking to the media, Wahab said that the police officers should focus on maintaining law and order which was their principle job.

He regretted that Irshad Ranjhani was shot but police remained mere spectators. Wahab said that during the two days of the police conference where all the high officials of police were present, five murders were reported across the province. The ad viser said that the real job of the police was to do policing and maintain the law and order rather than attending the conferences. (By PPI The Express Tribune, 05, 14/04/2019)

Women in police

LATELY, I‘ve been riveted by the Netflix drama series Delhi Crime. This original production is based on the real-life events of the 2012 Delhi bus gang rape in which Jyoti Singh Panday, a young Indian physiotherapy student, and her friend Awindra Panday were abducted by six men. These men assaulted the two young people, raped, assaulted, and fatally injured the young woman, then dumped both of their victims on the side of the road. Delhi Crime traces the police investigation as the Deputy Commissioner of Police leads a team to catch the culprits before they can escape.

Refreshingly, the series focuses on the various women who helped solve the crime, not just its female victim. DCP Vartika Chaturvedi (played brilliantly by Shefali Shah) is the senior- most officer, and leads a team of mostly male subordinates, but there are two other women officers involved in the case. One is a mid-career officer, Sub-Inspector Vimla Bhardwaj, who Chaturvedi assigns as the investigating officer to the case. The other is Neeti Singh, a new recruit who has come to Delhi from Chandigarh in search of big-city experience. These three women portray women at different stages in their lives, careers, and experiences on the case. Then there‘s the surgeon Dr Teena Bhutani who operates on Jyoti Singh in the first critical hours at the hospital, and protects her from even the police‘s intrusion on her recovery.

Chaturvedi has the most responsibility; she eats, sleeps and lives at the police station for the duration of the week, relying on the support of her husband Vishal, who is top brass in the Delhi Police and understands exactly what Chaturvedi needs emotionally and practically as she works on the case. Sub-Inspector Bhardwaj navigates the field with aplomb, working as hard as her male

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India and Pakistan have a lot in common; the countries and religions may be different, but the culture and society shares the same patriarchy and misogynistic attitudes towards women. The participation of women police officers was vital to solving the Delhi bus gang rape; Pakistani women police officers play the same vital role here in similarly difficult conditions, especially in the rural areas of Pakistan, where women officers work in upper Sindh without even a toilet at their police stations.

Women police officers are the targets of misogyny.

Women police officers are a necessary part of any investigation for the effective functioning of the police force and for the security of an entire nation. These officers are often first point of contact for female victims of heinous crimes such as rape, gang rape, sexual assault and domestic violence. Their gender does not make them weaker or softer, but in the eyes of victims and their families, they can be perceived as safer and more sympathetic when a woman has to bring a complaint to the attention of the police. Their passion for their work is equal to and sometimes even greater than those of the men, perhaps more so when the crime involves gender-based violence.

The police and military recognise the need for more women in security forces, and have been working hard to actively recruit more women officers — according to NPR, only two per cent of Sindh‘s police force are women.

Unfortunately, Pakistani attitudes towards working women are not as forward-thinking as in India, and women police officers are the targets of the same misogyny as the victims they are charged with protecting. ASP Suhai Talpur, who faced stiff family opposition to become a police officer, led a successful operation against militants attacking the Chinese consulate in Karachi in 2018; her bravery was rewarded by the police and she was quickly promoted. But many men proclaimed that she did not deserve the accolades just because she was a woman, evincing yet again that the biggest thing standing the way of female advancement in Pakistan is the male ego.

Still, as Talpur told NPR, ―I think that just looking at an officer, a female officer, wearing a uniform, commanding men and leading some operation, in itself is quite inspiring.‖

Pakistan‘s women police deserve all the support we can give them, not just because they are doing their jobs well, but because they are doing these difficult jobs as women in a country named one of the most dangerous in the world for women. Who understands better than another woman how difficult it is to be safe in a country like Pakistan, where one in three women suffers physical violence at some point in their lives? When the personal stakes are as high as the professional ones, every last woman police officer is a valuable resource as well as a role model and a symbol of hope for Pakistan‘s women. (By Bina Shah Dawn, 09, 14/04/2019)

Sindh IGP stresses need to introduce modern, progressive police law

Inspector General of Police Dr Syed Kaleem Imam has advocated the need of a modern and progressive law to ensure administrative and financial autonomy as well as accountability of police.

However, he regretted that successive governments could not bring changes and reformed the police department because of the existence of an elite culture and feudalistic mindset.

He told Dawn that there were many people who fear that such reforms in the police may ‗erode or compromise‘ their powers and they may be held accountable.

Musharraf’s Police Order Talking about the Police Order, 2002, Dr Imam said that when retired Gen Pervez Musharraf took to power in 1999, he established a focal group of police officers, which continued working for two years and came with a new law for the police department.

Terming it a ‗progressive law‘, he said it was based on ‗prudence‘ of the police officers. But soon after its implementation, democracy returned to the country with the holding of general elections.

Praises Musharraf’s Police Order, 2002 The new rulers started amending the law and ―introduced over a 100 amendments‖ that compromised the working of the police, he recalled.

The then government used to introduce ordinances to safeguard the amendments in the police law of 2002.

These amendments continued for several years and ended in 2009 when Musharraf‘s rule ended.

As a new democratic government came to power, both Sindh and Balochistan reintroduced the colonial-era Police Act of 1861 while Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa continued with the Police Order 2002.

He said it was ironic to note that Gen Musharraf brought the Police Order but it was never implemented in Islamabad.

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It was said at that time that it would be introduced in Islamabad when local government system would be introduced there.

Subsequently, the local government was introduced in the country‘s capital but the Police Order 2002 was not implemented there.

A.D. Khowaja case The IGP pointed out that after the 18th Amendment there were different opinions as some people thought that the provinces could bring their own law for police while others advocated for a uniformed law in the country on pattern of other criminal laws.

When the then IG, A.D. Khowaja, was ‗prematurely‘ transferred, the court took its cognizance and ruled that the government cannot transfer an IG prematurely and without completing his three-year tenure.

The court also ordered for giving the police ‗functional and operational autonomy‘ through its detailed judgement in the Khowaja case.

However, the debate was still continued as to whether the police law was a federal subject or provinces could bring amendments in it.

In the same case, former IG Dr Shoaib Suddle became a party and contended for bringing police reforms. He also argued as to whether the Police Order 2002 was a federal and uniformed law or the provinces can introduce their own police laws.

The then chief justice of Pakistan, Mian Saqib Nisar, established a police reforms committee comprising retired and serving police officers with the help of the law and justice commission.

Proposed police reforms This SC-mandated committee recommended at least seven major reforms to introduce in the modern police law.

―Police law is one thing but policing is another thing,‖ opined Sindh police chief Dr Imam.

On the question of whether the police is a federal subject or provincial, he said the policing may be work of the provinces but the law should be uniformed on pattern of the Criminal Procedure Code, Pakistan Penal Code and Evidence Act.

Another thing advocated by the SC-formed police reforms committee pertained to improving investigation. The committee had submitted two volumes of the reforms before the SC to this effect.

Apart from modern law and improvement in the investigation, it has also been suggested to establish complaints cells so that the people‘s grievances could be heard and addressed and burden on the judiciary on account of Section 22-A of the CrPC be reduced. Thus prior to approaching the courts, all available remedies should be exhausted.

The IGP said that Section 22-A was introduced in 2004 when the then chief justice of the Lahore High Court was hearing some identical cases and argued that instead of approaching the high courts, these people‘s complaints pertaining to host of issues should be heard by the sessions judges who have powers of justice of peace to direct the police ―to investigate the case on merit‖.

He said that Section 22-A basically was an ―executive power‖, which should generally be not given to the judiciary as all over the world the courts did not order the police to register an FIR.

The police have their own redressal mechanism and if the people were not satisfied with this, then they may approach the judiciary.

The SC-formed body also proposed introducing ‗internal accountability‘ to hold senior officers accountable for wrongdoings.

Urban policing It has also been suggested that since majority of cases were non-cognizable like domestic dispute, matrimonial dispute, land etc, which were basically civil in nature, an ‗alternative dispute resolution or mechanism‘ should be introduced to address these problems and reduce burden on the judiciary.

The concept of urban policing has also been suggested.

IG Imam observed that policing in rural and remote area was different from policing in major cities such as Karachi and Lahore or any city having population of one million.

Therefore, the concept of ‗urban policing‘ has been proposed as per the world practice.

He said that in an urban city there should not be police stations located everywhere. There should be one big or major police station covering a huge area with a mechanism to respond emergencies, etc.

One major reform proposed by the former and serving police officers‘ body related to combating terrorism.

The IGP said that when the military courts were established, it was stated at that time that these courts would be for a period of two years and in the meantime, the judiciary should set up or improve their system to handle the terrorism-related cases.

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But now, it appeared that perhaps the military courts were being given another extension, he said.

The reforms committee had proposed that such a mechanism that must include witness protection should also be introduced so that ‗normal courts‘ can hear terrorism-related cases.

It has also been proposed to bring ‗legislative reforms‘ such as amending certain sections in the CrPC, PPC and Evidence Act in order to address the problems pertaining to the prosecution and trial matters.

The IGP, who had given a presentation to the SC about proposed police reforms, claimed that Sindh had taken a lead in this regard by establishing complaints cells, introducing internal accountability and improving investigation.

He believed that the purpose of this whole exercise was to address flaws and shortcomings in the police and bring improvement so that the people‘s issues could be addressed. (By Imtiaz Ali Dawn, 13, 15/04/2019)

Cycles of violence

For the Hazara, a graveyard serves as a community centre.

This is Behisht-e-Zainab. Here, amongst the memories of slain brethren, the Hazara have made a safe space from themselves. Afraid of the terror that lies if they stray too far from home, they stay close to one another and those who have gone before them.

Behisht-e-Zainab serving as both burial ground and community centre is a stark example of the surreal existence that this community has in Pakistan. A community that lives in constant fear of the next blast, the next strike, the annual cycle of violence.

This year, violence came to the Hazarganji vegetable market yet again. Nearly 20 people died this time in this site of past horrors where Hazara traders have to be escorted by armed FC personnel every day. Where in the past Hazara vendors have been offloaded from buses and shot in cold blood. So regularly are they targeted that their routine movement must be watched.

This is no way to live. It is a denial of the basic responsibilities that a State owes to its people. Decades of violence against the Hazara because of their Shia faith shows just how paper thin the promise of religious liberty has become in Pakistan. It is hard to deny the State‘s total abdication of responsibility when talking about the Hazara.

Denial, though, is a close competitor with cricket as Pakistan‘s national pastime. Anyone living in Balochistan would know. Violence in the name of religion and ethnicity in that once proud province rarely gets any attention. But the Hazara seem to face a special brand of denial. After the blast that took place last week, Balochistan‘s Home Minister did an ostrich routine wort hy of an Oscar and said no specific community was the target of the attack. This is being said while sectarian groups rejoice at yet another strike on members of the Shia community.

It is the Hazara that are under attack. Enough denial. It is the Hazara‘s faith that makes them a target, the attacks on them part of a longstanding attempt to wipe out members of the Shia faith from Pakistan, or at least, force them to flee. As the State looks the other way, the very existence of the Hazara community is at stake.

Meanwhile, the terrorists are winning.

According to the HRCP, over 100,000 Hazara have left their homes in Balochistan to try to find a life where it is not normal to be afraid to leave your home. Where your daily commute to work does not involve an armed escort, and, where your children do not grow up playing in a graveyard. Thousands have in desperation tried to flee to places like through treacherous paths. Thousands have drowned in the attempt.

As for those who felt that other parts of Pakistan would be more welcoming, they found that the malaise was nationwide. In Karachi, their places of worship are constantly attacked, while members of the community are routinely harassed and stalked if they are brave enough to leave their home.

The plight of the Hazara community has exposed the hypocrisy of . When the attack in Christchurch, New Zealand, happened we lauded Prime Minister Jacinda Arden‘s compassionate reaction. Leaders were asked to take note and learn from her palpable grief. While we were busy dispensing this advice, we seemed to have missed the lesson for ourselves. As of the time of writing of this piece, Prime Minister Imran Khan has still not visited the family members of the deceased. Unlike Jac inda Arden, I have not heard him condemn the sectarian outfits, like Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, who pride themselves on ridding Pakistan of members of minority religious sects.

But perhaps the biggest lesson we should have learned from New Zealand was how quickly the country mobilised to tackle the root causes of the attack. A new law was in the works to control gun ownership, social media companies were forced to face a reckoning, and measures against hate speech were considered. After decades of violence against the Hazara, what solutions have we implemented? Think about it, I‘ll wait.

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What is happening to the Hazara community in Pakistan is a national disgrace. A total failure of the social contract that binds a State to its people. In Pakistan, we love talking about how Islam grants the most freedom to religious minorities — but nobody practises this. Look at the state of religious minorities in Pakistan. Would any Sunni Muslim want to trade places with them?

We may never be able to redeem ourselves. But we can‘t just sit back and watch the Hazara community vanish from Pakistan in our lifetime. The government should ensure that the State machinery does not have any sympathisers of sectarian outfits. That means ending their participation from politics and branding them terrorists of the same kind as the ones that we have been fighting after the APS attack. That also means you don‘t let them act like they are reborn just because they change their name. The same force by which terrorism against Pakistan was eliminated needs to be brought down on the people who are massacring members of the Shia community. The State must accept that the killing of Hazaras over decades has been a complete failure on their part and they must now mobilise to rehabilitate the community — that doesn‘t involve simply announcing cash grants which are never given.

Of course, it is important that our leaders learn empathy as well. As the Hazara sit-in goes on, Imran Khan is nowhere to be seen. I give him the same advice he gave in 2017 when he did not visit Quetta: ―Unfortunate PM only chose to vis it Bahawalpur. Our people are in mourning in Quetta and Parachinar also. Is [Nawaz Sharif] not PM of Balochistan and FATA?‖

Well Mr Prime Minister, are you? (By Hassan Niazi The Express Tribune, 17, 16/04/2019)

Six suspected militants held over killing of 50 persons

Police‘s Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) on Monday claimed to have arrested six suspected militants, including a policeman, affiliated with a banned sectarian outfit who had been involved in the killing of 50 persons since 2003 in the city on sectarian grounds, CTD DIG Abdullah Shaikh said.

The officer claimed that the held militants got training from abroad and they were being paid through a network. However, the CTD official said that ―important progress‖ had been made in investigation into the deadly armed attack on prominent religious scholar Mufti Taqi Usmani.

Speaking at a press conference at his office, DIG Abdullah Shaikh said that when sectarian killings reared their ugly head in Karachi recently after a considerable period, they started investigation into it and detected an old network of hitmen behind it.

―The Civil Lines CTD carried out an intelligence-based action on Business Recorder Road and apprehended six suspects,‖ said the officer, adding that some of the held militants‘ names were in the Red Book of most wanted suspects.

CTD DIG claims the held militants, including a policeman, got training from abroad

The held suspects belonged to the banned Sipah-i-Muhammad, disclosed the officer.

They were identified as Mohammed Haider, alias Chhota (whose name was at page 140 in the Red Book), Syed Mehtab Husain, alias Muchhar (whose name was at p136 of the book), Gul Akbar, alias Abdullah (whose name was at p142 of the book), police constable Syed Haider Abbas Rizvi, alias Policewala, Asif Raza, alias Khalid, and Kamran, alias Pathan.

―During initial probe, startling revelations have emerged,‖ said the DIG, adding that the held suspects got training from abroad and they were being provided arms, motorcycles and financial assistant through a network.

These alleged hitmen were being provided Rs40,000 each as monthly salary and Rs20,000 per month for carrying out reconnaissance.

Two of the held suspects — Mohammed Haider and Syed Mehtab Hussain — were leading this outfit which was being provided ―financial assistance from abroad‖.

One suspect, identified as Syed Waseem Ahsan Naqvi (whose name was at p116 of the Red Book), was providing financial assistance to the militants through Zahoor Mehdi.

They had been involved in killings in the metropolis from 2003 to 2019, mostly targeting members of their purported rival sect. ―They were involved in 31 criminal cases in which 50 people were killed,‖ said the CTD DIG.

These victims included four policemen and two security guards during an armed attack on Aurangzeb Farooqi [of the banned ASWJ], murder of Maulana Ahmed Bakhsh advocate and his guard, killing of doctors, double murder of a man and his nephew in Shah , killing of three workers of the banned Sipah-i-Sahaba Pakistan in Mobina Town, murder of three brothers during an armed attack on a milk shop near the Korangi Darul Uloom, killing of two workers of the SSP near Nagan Chowrangi and murder of a vendor near Yusuf Plaza.

A JIT was being established to further grill the held suspects.

The police claimed to have seized three Kalashnikovs, two 9mm pistols, a 30-bore pistol, a car, two motorcycles and a large quantity of ammunition from their custody.

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Mufti Taqi Usmani case Answering a question regarding a deadly attack on prominent religious scholar Mufti Taqi Usmani, in which three persons, including a police guard, were killed near the NIPA roundabout in Gulshan-i-Iqbal, CTD DIG Abdullah Shaikh claimed that ―important progress‖ had been made in the investigation and the media would be briefed about it soon.

The DIG said that a special team led by CTD official Raja Umar Khattab had busted this network of alleged terrorists and detected terrorism financing.

Five IS militants held Separately, the Malir police claimed to have detained five suspects linked with the banned militant Islamic State group.

Acting on a tip-off, the police apprehended five suspects in Taiser Town, said Malir SSP Irfan Bahadur.

A hand grenade, illegal arms, a laptop and a large quantity of ammunition were seized from their custody.

They were identified as Abdullah, alias Hamza, Waqar, Waseem, Naveed and Muddassir.

―The held suspects used to recruit people for IS through social media,‖ said SSP Bahadur.

The police have registered a case against them on terrorism charges and under the Telegraph Act, and their alleged criminal record was being checked. (By Imtiaz Ali Dawn, 15, 16/04/2019)

Two policemen held as infant boy killed in crossfire near Safoora Chowrangi

An infant boy travelling with his family in a rickshaw on main University Road was killed allegedly by police firing on Tuesday in yet another incident of apparent negligence and non-professionalism involving policemen. Some half a dozen innocent citizens have been killed by law enforcers during the past one year, exposing authorities‘ claims of reforms in the police department.

The authorities claimed that the exchange of gunfire took place between armed suspects and policemen riding on a motorbike when they were chasing them.

The family of the infant boy alleged that the policemen were very close to their rickshaw and their firing was so intense that it sparked panic and fear in the area.

―Kashif Sheikh along with his wife and three children was going to his home in Gulistan-i-Jauhar Block-8 in a rickshaw,‖ Lateef Sheikh, a maternal cousin of the victim‘s father told Dawn. ―He told us that he and his family decided to stop at a roadside bakery near Safoora Chowrangi to buy some snacks for the kids. As the rickshaw slowed down, all of a sudden several gunshots were heard. And when the guns fell silent, they noticed their son with stains of blood.‖

A Sindh govt official demands accountability of police force

The family rushed to a nearby private hospital, where doctors pronounced the child, Hassan Sheikh, 19 months old, dead, he added.

Quoting the victim‘s father, he said the policemen did not bother to stop or to warn any of the persons before carrying out firing in the busy commercial area.

Only last week, a 10-year-old boy Sajjad Khan was killed after getting caught in an exchange of fire between police and an alleged criminal in Landhi.

Before last week‘s incident, final-year medical student Nimra Baig in North Karachi, 10-year-old Amal Umer in DHA, young Maqsood on main Sharea Faisal, 19-year-old Intizar Ahmed in DHA and a few more met the same fate over the past one year.

Adviser wants accountability of police The provincial government, which had already put the Sindh police under its radar, came up with a strong reaction to the latest incident, as Chief Minister‘s Adviser on Law and Information Murtaza Wahab called for ―police accountability‖.

―Since August 2018 this is the fifth or sixth such incident which has claimed the life of an innocent citizen. The police talk about powers but it should also talk about accountability. This incident again speaks for the need of police accountability,‖ he told Dawn. Meanwhile, the police authorities arrested the two cops allegedly involved in the ‗encounter‘.

DIG East Amir Farooqi said that the law would take its course and whoever was found responsible would face due process.

―The police were chasing dacoits and fired on them which hit the boy,‖ he said. ―The policemen chased the suspects and during the exchange of fire, a minor boy travelling with the family in a rickshaw was killed. The suspects however ran away.‖

He said both the policemen were arrested as there were clear instructions to the police not to resort to firing at open public places. ―An inquiry has already been initiated,‖ he added.

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(By Imran Ayub Dawn, 15, 17/04/2019)

The roots of extremism

EXTREMIST militants receive considerable support from their apologists who take exception to criticism of religious extremism and claim this is not the only form of extremism. The point is valid though there can be no bar to examining faith-based intolerance alone. A brief inquiry will show that the various forms of extremism have common roots.

For want of a standard definition in the context of Pakistan‘s environment, extremism may be defined as irreconcilable hostility to other people‘s religion or sect, their culture and customs, rejection of the rights of minority communities and women, and determination to convert them through inducement or intimidation or eliminate them through physical violence, including terrorist acts.

Women constitute the largest single group of people in Pakistan that are victims of extremists‘ violence. A recently released report of a survey conducted by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), in cooperation with the Bureau of Statistics and the Punjab Commission on the Status of Women, shows that one-third of women in Punjab, aged 15 to 64, have suffered violence. The situation elsewhere in the country could be only marginally different. Almost every day, the media reports a woman being burnt alive or killed otherwise. The practice of killing women for men‘s honour has spread to cities where it was unknown till recently. Women are attacked for choosing their spouses, for failing to meet intermittent dowry demands, and for venturing out wearing clothes and sporting hairstyles tabooed by orthodox priests of morality. There are areas where girls are not allowed to go to school.

Women and girls belonging to bonded labour families, working in agriculture or at brick kilns and in various other sectors, suffer extremists‘ excesses in several forms: their labour is exploited, they are denied freedom of movement, they cannot seek alternative employment, and they have no defence against abduction and sexual abuse. Non-Muslim women and girls suffer greater violence than their Muslim counterparts, and those still identified by the state as the scheduled castes suffer much more than upper caste Hindus and other non-Muslim groups.

Can the state be absolved of crime by negligence?

Children outside the category mentioned above constitute another large group that suffers extremists‘ violence. A large number of street children suffer economic exploitation and physical and sexual abuse. The number of domestic servants that are subjected to various forms of abuse has been rising for quite some time. The state has failed to eradicate corporal punishment in schools. Only the other day a small girl died after falling (or jumping) from a rooftop. She dreaded going to school where she was mercilessly thrashed for lagging behind in her studies. Her mother added to her misery by tying up her hands and feet and throwing her in a dark room. Enforced disappearances are one of the ugliest forms of extremism.

Now we may take a look at the incidence of faith- related violence. The Hazara Shias are mowed down for their beliefs. Many hate preachers openly instigate murder. The Ahmadis continue to be victims of target killing. The anti-minorities knights are not content with instituting cases under the blasphemy law; they try to exterminate their quarry in police custody or in the street. Anyone acquitted of blasphemy charges cannot find a safe place to live in the country. And there is no doubt that the killing of non-Muslims in prayer houses and Muslims in mosques and schools is done in the name of religion.

Even a cursory reading of the evidence of violence committed by extremists will bring out the fact that use of extremist violence due to completely non-religious factors, such as exploitation of bonded labour and street children, and corporal punishment in schools and even in madressahs, is not unknown in Pakistan. The causes of violence against women include patriarchal excesses, feudal culture and misogynous tendencies, but do not exclude misinterpretation of religious injunctions. As regards the extremists‘ and militants‘ narrative of terrorism in the name of religion, it has been attributed to a wrong interpretation of Islam by no less an internationally recognised Islamic scholar than Dr Khalid Masud, formerly chairman of the Council of Islamic Ideology and at present a judge of the Shariat Appellate Court.

Unfortunately, the roots of all forms of extremist violence lie in the state‘s acts of omission or commission. If women‘s suffering due to the curses of patriarchy, misogyny or feudal culture has increased, the state is responsible for having failed to liberate the Pakistani society of anachronistic social mores which are, among other things, one of the major obstacles to the growth of a democratic system and a democratic culture. If children at schools and madressahs are at the mercy of sadists in the garb of teachers, and if savages at institutions of higher learning can kill a student like Mashal Khan and a teacher like Khalid Hameed, can the state be absolved of crime by negligence? The bonded workers, their women folk and their children continue to suffer because their tormentors enjoy political clout. Has the state taken any action to eliminate the worst forms of child labour despite having signed the relevant ILO convention? Can the state wash away the ignominy of allowing enforced disappearances, the ultimate form of extremist violence?

As regards extremist violence in the name of religion, the state has been inviting censure for acts of both omission and commission.

On the one hand, it has done practically nothing to save the people from what is described as wrong interpretation of their faith and, on the other hand, it continues to associate with the religious elements that openly denounce democracy, human rights and pluralism. All past governments increased their and the people‘s tribulations by appeasing the quasi-religious lobby. It is time the present government asked itself whether it is surpassing its predecessors in pandering to the orthodoxy that has done incalculable harm to Islam and Muslims over many centuries.

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(By I.A. Rehman 08, 18/04/2019)

Victim’s family disputes Sindh police account, claims there were no dacoits

The 19-month-old boy, Ahsan, son of Kashif Sheikh, who was killed in an alleged crossfire between the police and dacoits near Safoora Chowrangi on Tuesday afternoon, was laid to rest on Wednesday. Police have taken the four personnel involved in the incident into custody and have started investigating the matter after registering the case. Meanwhile, the victim‘s family claims there were no dacoits present at the scene when the incident occurred.

The funeral prayers were offered near the Ashraf-ul-Madaris at Sindh Balochistan Society in Gulistan-e-Jauhar Block 12 and were attended by a large number of relatives and residents of the area.

Family unhappy with FIR Speaking to the media after the burial, the victim‘s grandfather, Haji Abdul Ghani Sheikh and a relative, Advocate Arshad Hussain Sheikh, expressed reservations with the case registered by the Sachal Police. They alleged that the police have registered the case under sections of negligence and carelessness, but this was injustice to the family of the deceased. The case should have been registered under Section 302 of the Pakistan Penal Code (murder) and sections of the Anti -Terrorism Act. Abdul Ghani claimed that the case hadn‘t been registered according to their statement.

According to the victim‘s grandfather, four police officials on two motorcycles fired directly at the rickshaw, which resulted in the minor‘s death and left his father injured. ―This is clearly an incident of terrorism,‖ he said, besides demanding the higher authorities to notify an investigation team to ascertain the facts of the incident. A high-level committee, headed by SSP Pir Muhammad Shah, should be created to investigate the matter, demanded the grandfather.

Police account For his part, Sachal Police Station SHO sub-inspector Javed Abro told the media that the police have started their investigation into the incident after registering the case. Investigators are trying to acquire the CCTV footage of the incident, he said, adding that all the four policemen, head constable Pyar Ali, head constable Khalid Iqbal, constable Abdul Samad and constable Amjad Khan, were currently in their custody and were being interrogated.

The SHO said that the cops‘ weapons had also been sent to the forensic laboratory for analysis, which would determine whether the bullet shell recovered from the crime scene belonged to the police personnel or the robbers. The policemen had 9mm pistols and the bullet shell recovered also belongs to a small weapon.

Post-mortem Meanwhile, the additional police surgeon at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre Dr Sheeraz said that the victim was struck in the chest by a single bullet which was fired from his right. The bullet penetrated his chest and exited from the back.

Dr Sheeraz said that a detailed report of the post-mortem would be issued in a few days, adding that the bullet was fired from a distance of 10 to 15 feet and the same bullet had injured the child‘s father. According to the police surgeon, the bullet was fired from a small weapon.

The incident According to SHO Abro, the police officials were deployed at Mosamiyat for snap checking duty when they informed by a citizen that some dacoits were trying to flee after carrying out a robbery. The police officials started chasing the robbers. At this , the robbers fired at the police officials. In retaliation, one of the police personnel fired a bullet, but the robbers escaped.

The SHO said that the entry regarding the police encounter had been made in the log book of snap checking. The police officials notified the police station about the encounter when they reached the station at the end of their shift. He added that the officials present at the station only found out about the minor‘s death after the personnel had left the station.

Family’s version On the other hand, the victim‘s grandfather disputed the police‘s account, saying there were no dacoits present at the scene when the incident occurred. ―My son [Kashif Sheikh], his wife and their two sons were getting into a rickshaw outside the Kha lid Bakery when the incident occurred,‖ he said. ―Four policemen on two motorcycles were passing by when they got into a dispute and one of them shot at the other,‖ he claimed. Unfortunately, the bullet struck the minor, Ahsan, in the chest before also injuring his father in the arm. ―No robbers were present at the site nor was there any police encounter,‖ said Abdul Ghani.

He added that the family wasn‘t satisfied with the police investigations and wanted the case to be tried in the anti-terrorism court. (By Sajid Rauf The Express Tribune, 04, 18/04/2019)

Endless cycle of violence

It seems the possible has ceased to happen. Now only the impossible happens in Pakistan. The country is witnessing an endless cycle of violence.

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The killing of 14 people in Balochistan late on Thursday has come close on the heels of the Quetta suicide bombing on April 1 2 in which 20 people, mostly members of the Hazara community, had been killed.

It seems sinister forces inimical to Pakistan are ceaselessly at work stirring their hellish broth and keep on baking, boilin g and bubbling their magic concoction like the witches in Macbeth singing ―Round about the cauldron go/In the poisoned entrails throw/Toad, that under the cold stone/Days and nights hast thirty-one/Double, double toil and trouble/Fire burn and cauldron bubble…/Like a hell-broth boil and bubble/Double, double toil and trouble….They are thereby doubling the troubles and hardships of our countrymen.

Armed men picked out at least 14 passengers with the help of their National Identity Cards, offloaded them from the bus they were travelling in and shot them dead on the Makran Coastal Highway in Ormara.

One navy and one coastguard personnel were among those killed. The attack happened between 12.30am and 1 am. According to Balochistan Inspector General of Police, 15-20 armed assailants in camouflage were involved in the attack.

The Home Secretary of the province told a news agency the assailants were wearing clothes that resembled uniforms. The gunmen stopped the bus travelling between Karachi and Gwadar.

According to a local official, around three dozen passengers were travelling on the bus. Reports say the motive for the killings and the identity of the victims are yet to be disclosed. A similar incident had taken place in Balochistan‘s Mastung area in 2015 when armed men kidnapped around two dozen passengers from two Karachi-bound coaches and killed 19 of them.

Condemnation of the incident has poured in from various quarters, including President , Prime Minister Imran Khan, Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto and Co-Chairman Asif Zardari. ―Had the National Action Plan been implemented in letter and spirit, such tragedies would not have occurred,‖ Zardari said.

As gory incidents keep on happening, it can only be said common humanity is slipping away from our midst. Cry the beloved country! (By Editorial The Express Tribune, 16, 19/04/2019)

Child’s death in encounter exposes differences between Sindh govt, police

The killing of 20-month-old Mohammed Ahsan during an alleged police encounter in the Sachal area on Tuesday evening has once again exposed the growing differences between the Sindh government and the police as the chief minister and ministers publicly criticise the police performance.

This is the second time that differences emerged between the government and the police. Previously, the provincial chief executive had also publicly expressed his extreme displeasure over the handling of the Irshad Ranjhani murder case by the police.

Provincial Minister Saeed Ghani on Wednesday alleged that the police had become ―uncontrollable and unaccountable‖ after the court‘s decision.

The police officers admitted their certain ―mistakes‖ but said the cases of police‘s alleged negligence could be attributed to lack of proper training.

Experts say govt unhappy over IGP’s transfer, posting powers; police recruitment through NTS

However, they contended that the real bone of contention was the proposed police rules for transfers and postings in the police as one and a half years had passed but these rules had not been framed by the provincial government as per directions of the Sindh High Court in the A.D. Khowaja case.

A senior officer, who wished not to be named, told Dawn that when the provincial legislature repealed the Police Order 2002 and reintroduced the Police Act of 1861 with a new name in 2011, rules were not framed. In the Khowaja case, the apex court gave the ruling that the government could not interfere in the administration of the police as transfer and posting powers belonged to the inspector general of police.

The court also directed that the police rules for transfer and posting should be prepared by the IGP office, which should be approved by the provincial cabinet. The former IG prepared rules in November 2017 but the same were not approved by the government. The officer said that when Dr Syed Kaleem Imam took charge as the Sindh IG, the provincial government tried to apply two types of pressure.

The provincial government ―pressurised‖ the new IG to bring changes in the police rules prepared by his predecessor but he refused to do so contending that it might contravene the SC judgement.

Secondly, the government also tried to pressurise the IG for transfer and posting of their ―favourite‖ police officers.

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Question of control Another senior police officer, who also wished not to be named, told Dawn that the problem was that whichever government came into power, they wanted control over the police in an attempt to win next elections and safeguard their political and business interests.

In the A.D. Khowaja case, the SC had directed the authorities to prepare rules for transfer and posting of police officers in such a way that the IG‘s powers are not undermined.

Former IG A.D. Khowaja had prepared such rules and sent them to the cabinet for approval. Incumbent IG Syed Kaleem Imam had also added a ―few things‖ and prepared the draft of police law and sent it for the cabinet‘s approval.

The Sindh government fears that the SC might give a judgement about it that might establish autonomy of the IG office.

The new IGP has prepared the police law draft in the light of recommendations of the police reforms committee set up by former chief justice Mian Saqib Nisar with the addition of some local elements to it.

A source said the Sindh government wanted the ―past arrangement‖ to continue which implied that the IGP exercise powers of transfer and posting of officers up to grade 18 and above that grade, officers be appointed by the home department or the chief minister.

Another bone of contention between the government and the police pertained to possible recruitment as the former wanted the past practice for recruitment, which included ―recommendations‖ by lawmakers.

But for the last three years, policemen have been recruited through the NTS, which in the long run may enhance police professionalism, said a police officer.

The officer claimed that the Sindh government had already ―compromised‖ the performance of the Sindh Public Service Commission and education boards; they now wanted the police to follow suit. That was the real bone of contention but they were not admitting it, said the officer.

Therefore, whenever an untoward incident occurred, the ruling elite in Sindh wanted to ―corner‖ the police as in the recent killing of 20-month-old Ahsan during an encounter.

―The purpose of the criticism was to bring police under pressure so that a case or base could be made for police reforms, which suits their interests.‖

He claimed that the police had adopted a ―professional approach‖ by arresting the UC chairman and the policemen in the Ranjhani murder case and policemen in other cases.

He said a new issue had emerged that for the last seven months, three IGPs of Punjab had been transferred and the Sindh government argued that when the PTI-led government was changing IGPs in Punjab frequently, why could this not be done in Sindh?

―The government may want to take political mileage by criticising the police, but it gives a bad impression,‖ said the officer.

―The government is targeting the police to portray that their working has gone down since the IGP got exclusive powers of transfers and postings,‖ said a police officer.

‘Wrong interpretation’ However, senior lawyer and a former advocate general of Sindh Barrister Zamir Ghumro did not agree with the stance of the police and said certain police officers were wrongly interpreting the judgement of the SHC in the A.D. Khowaja case.

He said the Sindh government wanted to introduce a new law; therefore, there was no need for preparing police rules.

Mr Ghumro said it was a prerogative of the legislature to legislate.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister‘s spokesperson Rasheed told Dawnthat there were no differences between the Sindh government and the police. But the CM had expressed his displeasures over the recent alleged criminal negligence of the police, which resulted in the death of five innocent persons in the metropolis over the past few months. (By Imtiaz Ali Dawn, 15, 19/04/2019)

Ahsan’s death case: Bullet shell found matches police personnel’s weapon: investigation team

The empty bullet shell found at the crime scene, where 19-month-old Ahsan was killed in an alleged police encounter, matched the weapon of one of the police officials nominated in the case.

Ahsan was shot in an alleged crossfire between the police officials and dacoits near Safoora Chowrangi on April 16. According to investigation police sources, the weapons of all accused were sent to the forensic laboratory for analysis and one of them matched with the shell found at the crime scene.

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The sources, however, said that whether the crossfire was between the police officials and dacoits or it was just a personal dispute amongst the police personnel is yet to be ascertained.

The deceased‘s family had also claimed that there was no police encounter but just a personal dispute amongst the officials, as a result of which they fired directly at the rickshaw the family was in.

The investigation team was still looking for the rickshaw driver and the citizen who informed the police about the dacoits. Their statements would be crucial in the development of the case.

Furthermore, the investigation police sources said that only one bullet shell was found at the place of incident making it less likely if there was exchange of fire between two parties.

Transfer of case Meanwhile, Sindh Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Dr Kaleem Imam issued directives to transfer the investigations of the case to the counter-terrorism department (CTD). He also directed the CTD IG that the investigations of the case should be handed over to an expert so that the case could be solved as soon as possible.

The investigation team for the case was formed by Sindh IGP on Thursday headed by South Deputy Inspector-General Sharjeel Kharal and comprising South SSP Pir Muhammad Shah.

Flaws in investigation Even after four days, statements of the accused police officials have not been recorded and the medico-legal report of Ahsan‘s father Kashif, who was injured in the incident, has also not been released.

The CTD Deputy Inspector-General (DIG) Abdullah Sheikh said this on Saturday while talking to media outside the deceased‘s home. Sheikh expressed annoyance with the initial investigation of the police. He said that the statements of accused, which should‘ve been recorded immediately, were not recorded yet.

Moreover, he said, that the medico-legal report of Kashif, which could‘ve determined the direction of the bullet that struck him, hasn‘t been issued yet. The police also failed to collect the eyewitness accounts and didn‘t even seal the crime scene, becau se of which only one bullet shell was found while there might have been more if there was an encounter.

Sheikh assured that an efficient investigation process will be carried out and all the major evidences will be analysed. The four accused police officials will be taken in the CTD custody for interrogation. (By Raheel Salman The Express Tribune, 04, 21/04/2019)

Family alleges woman was raped, killed by hospital staff

The family of Ismat Khanrejo, the 26-year-old woman who died after being administered a suspicious injection at the Sindh Government Hospital Korangi, has claimed that she was sexually assaulted by the hospital staff before being killed.

The claims were made by the victim‘s maternal aunt during a press conference at the Karachi Press Club on Monday, where she was flanked by human rights activists and members of civil society.

―We are being pressurised to withdraw the case,‖ she said, adding that the government was responsible for the incident as it had taken place at a public hospital.

Taking exception to the slow progress in the case and the apparent lack of efforts to apprehend the accused, the victim‘s aunt said that the culprits were roaming freely, while the victim‘s family was being pressurised to stay calm. ―The unfortunate incident took place on April 18,‖ she said, adding that even after the passage of four days, the police haven‘t been able to arrest the prime accused. ―If the residents of Korangi can‘t go to the public hospital, where should they go?‖ she questioned.

For her part, National Commission for Human Rights member Anis Haroon said that incidents of medical negligence were commonplace, but Ismat‘s case was particularly horrifying. ―The child had gone to the hospital due to a toothache and after giving her anesthesia, the culprits have assaulted her,‖ she said, adding that the victim had been harassed at this very faci lity a year ago, after which she had resigned from her job.

Social activist Jibran Nasir said that the incident had raised questions on the prestigious profession of doctors. He appeale d to the medical fraternity, especially younger doctors to come forward and show solidarity with the victim‘s family.

Judicial remand Meanwhile, a district and sessions court sent three suspects, who have been booked for Ismat‘s death, on judicial remand.

The hearing was held before the Judicial Magistrate for East district at the Karachi City Court, where the police presented three arrested suspects Amir, Shahzeb and Wali Muhammad before the judge.

The investigation officer‘s request for physical remand was rejected by the court, after which the suspects were sent on a judicial remand.

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The investigation officer had sought extension in the remand, saying that investigation was incomplete. (By Aftab Khan The Express Tribune, 04, 23/04/2019)

How a gang duped the biometric system to get SIM cards for criminals

The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) claim to have arrested seven members of a group, including a former Punjab Police official, allegedly involved in identity theft for the illegal activation of mobile phone SIM cards. At least three members of the group managed to escape, said the CTD team.

Details of the arrests and the group‘s modus operandi were revealed in a press conference at the CTD‘s Civil Lines office by the department‘s in-charge Raja Umar Khattab.

According to Khattab, the arrested accused were identified as Muhammad Rizwan Ahmed, Irfan Ashiq, Kashif Javed, Anjum Zahoor, Muzamil Tabassum, Waqas Ahmed and Muhammad Rehan, while Humair Afzal, Kamran alias Mana and Ghisan are on the run.

The CTD team also seized a large quantity of contraband material from their possession, including six laptops, 12 mobile phone scanners, three biometric machines, 400 forms with an NGO‘s insignia, two plain silicon ribbons, 1,700 SIM cards of various cellular service providers, 1,000 fingerprints imprinted on silicon ribbons, three bank scanners, duplicate CNICs of 2,600 persons, tracing paper, one computer scanner and 3,100 jackets of activated SIMs of various networks.

The crime Khattab said that the had made biometric identification compulsory for the purchase of SIM cards in 2008, in view of the potential for their abuse. ―Anyone could use a SIM card belonging to another person before 2008, which is how criminals and terrorists were able to carry out their activities with impunity,‖ he said.

The government‘s step had resulted in a significant decrease in the rate of serious crimes such as extortion, kidnapping and grey traffic (illegal telephone exchange), among others.

―During our investigation into the Chinese consulate attack, we found that the SIMs used by the terrorists were registered in the names of innocent civilians,‖ said Khattak, adding that the same was the case with several other terrorism incidents. A CTD official told The Express Tribune that three SIM cards used by the terrorists were registered in the names of innocent civili ans who had no connection to the case.

When the CTD started tracing the SIM card‘s actual owners and how they came to be in the terrorists‘ possession, it soon dawned on them that there was a large network of persons affiliated with cellular service providers and their franchises. ―Th ey acquired SIM cards and registered them in the names of unknowing citizens and then sold them for a handsome profit,‖ said Khattab. He added that the network of these unscrupulous elements was spread across the country.

Modus operandi According to the CTD chief, the department‘s Transnational Terrorism Intelligence Group (TTIG) managed to trace some of the members of one such group and arrested them. This particular group used to sell SIM cards in different cities after activating them illegally.

The group‘s agents acquired fingerprints and further details from citizens by asking them to fill a form of an NGO, named Pakistan Disabled Development Council. They then scanned the fingerprints onto their computers.

The fingerprints were further cleared using a special software and then transferred onto tracing paper. The group then prepared stamps of the computerised fingerprints and used them to activate SIM cards through the biometric SIM activation device.

The illegally activated SIMs were then sold to criminals at high prices. In this way, the group facilitated heinous crimes including acts of terrorism, murder, kidnaping and gray trafficking, among others. Their actions also made it difficult for law enforcement agencies to apprehend criminals.

Khattab added that the fingerprints and CNIC numbers were also used to open online bank accounts to earn additional income. Besides, franchises of cellular service providers and their agents were given a commission by the group for activating the SI M cards. The CTD chief said that they would contact the Federal Investigation Agency and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority for assistance in proceeding with the case. (By Sajid Rauf The Express Tribune, 04, 24/04/2019)

Police to allow transgender recruits in Sindh

Transgender people in Sindh will be able to serve as regular duty police officers, the police chief said, adding that it was time to offer more opportunities to a group relegated to menial jobs in government.

After years of sometimes brutal persecution, transgender people in Pakistan gained recognition in 2009 when the Supreme Court granted them special status with rights equal to other citizens.

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While discrimination still persists, the move to allow transgender police recruits would be a significant step for the community, activists say.

―We will make them part of Sindh police,‖ Syed Kaleem Imam, Inspector General of the Sindh, police told Reuters in Karachi.

―They are good God-gifted people. Citizens like us. We should stand by them,‖ said Mr Imam, who as a junior officer became aware of the discrimination against the community.

As in India and , transgender people in the country have faced widespread discrimination for decades. Many live in secluded communities, earning a living as dancers or forced into sex work or begging.

A 2017 census counted 10,418 transgender people in the country of 207 million, but rights group Charity Trans Action Pakistan estimates there are at least 500,000.

‗Trans-friendly‘ In a major step forward in 2009, the Supreme Court ruled that transgender people could receive national identity cards as a ―third sex‖ and in 2017, the government issued its first passport with a transgender category.

While some transgender people have achieved celebrity as news anchors or fashion models, entry into the police force would be a major development for the community.

―Police behaviour and their complaint mechanism is not trans-friendly. I will try to make police trans-friendly and educate colleagues when I join the police,‖ said Shahzadi Rai, a 29-year-old transgender activist who hopes to join the force.

―When we go to lodge any report at the police station, their behaviour and questions hurt us. They don‘t ask questions about the case, but about our gender,‖ Rai said.

Zehrish Khan, a programme manager at Gender Interactive Alliance, a transgender rights group, said the community had always sought inclusion and was now seeing the fruits of the 2009 Supreme Court ruling.

―If we are inducted into the police, we‘ll show we can work harder compared to men and women,‖ Khan told Reuters.

It could be months before the first transgender police officers are hired, Mr Imam said, but they will have the same opportunities as other recruits and perform regular duties in the field.

―We will give them space, facilitate them so that they can come into the mainstream,‖ the police chief said. (By Reuters Dawn, 15, 25/04/2019)

Sindh Police raising day commemorated — for first time in 176 years

As the senior officers of the Sindh Police in their crisp ceremonial uniforms briskly walked up to take their seats in the auditorium, the friction of the gleaming medals on their chests brought out a jingling bells-like sound. The 176th Scinde (Sindh) Police Raising Day ceremony held at the Police Headquarters here on Wednesday included the opening of the Sindh Police Museum.

Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Karachi South Sharjeel Kharal in his opening remarks said that the Police Raising Day was being commemorated for the first time in 176 years. Sharing some history, he said that Sindh used to be known as ‗Scinde‘ back in 1843, when soon after the annexation of this region Sir Charles Napier ordered the raising of the Scinde Police. ―It was the first modern police of the subcontinent commanded by its own officers. Innovation was its hallmark. It became the first police force to employ foot trackers for detection of criminals in India. Its detection rate was one of the highest in the Bombay Presidency till late 19th century. And after the Bengal Police it was the second police force to operate a riverine section to combat rampant cattle lifting,‖ he said.

DIG Kharal also said that another salient feature of the Sindh Police was their mobility. ―Till the 1940s, it had the largest mounted police section in India, which gave it an edge on other police forces in the region in combating heinous crime. Today, it comprises about 150,000 men and officers. Having evolved over the years into a community oriented force, community policing is now at the heart of policing in Sindh,‖ he said before paying rich tributes to the officers who have gone beyond the call of duty by laying down their lives for their country.

Sindh Police Museum opens Former IGP Saud Ahmed Mirza, the main person behind the development of the Sindh Police Museum, spoke about the first head of ‗Kurrachee‘ (Karachi) Police Lt Edward Charles Marston, who served the Scinde Police from 1843 to 1872 and how he raised the force. He said that [then] Sir Charles John Napier had a galaxy of young and dashing officers such as Young Husband, Preedy, John Jacobs, etc. ―But he settled for Captain Brown to head the Sindh Police after the annexation of Sindh and Lt Edward Charles Marston to head the Karachi Police,‖ he said, adding that when Marston arrived in India he was only a 21-year-old soldier and he became police chief at age 24.

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He said that Napier‘s police system was based on two principles — first, the police were to be completely separate from the military and secondly, they must be an independent body to assist the collectors in discharging their responsibilities for law and order but under their own officers. ―From 1943 to 1948, Scinde Police comprised three districts, namely Kurrachee, Hyderabad and Shikarpoor. Its total strength was 2,400,‖ he said, adding that this police force was divided into three branches — mounted police on horseback, rural police and city police.

―The major augmentation of Sindh Police took place after the 1857 rebellion following which its strength increased from 3,157 to 4,013 men,‖ he said. About Marston‘s career, he concluded that after 29 years of service with the police, he reverted to the army from where he eventually retired in 1891.

Sindh IGP Dr Syed Kaleem Imam appreciated former IGP Saud Mirza‘s work in digging up all this history and setting up the Sindh Police Museum. He also spoke highly of and thanked all the IGPs and other policemen who assisted Mr Mirza and contributed to the work. ―Perhaps this museum can be a master police museum for Sindh with Saud and his team travelling to India and England to maybe try and acquire more historic material for it,‖ he said.

Former IGP Syed Kamal Shah, the chief guest on the occasion, said that he spent 20 years with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police and three and a half years with the Sindh Police. ―But I consider Sindh Police absolutely at par with KP Police,‖ he said, adding that Sindh Police‘s devotion and commitment to their job was their biggest quality.

About the Sindh Police Museum, about which he appreciated the depth of research and meticulous work carried out by former IGP Mirza and his team, he also had a suggestion. ―Since the records and pictures mostly stop at 1950, I would suggest to carry on with the archiving work till 2019 as then it will be easier to keep on updating the records.‖ (By Shazia Hasan Dawn, 14, 02/05/2019)

Police baton-charge protesting nurses in Karachi

The police baton-charged protesting nurses as they tried to march towards the Chief Minister House on Thursday. Dozens of nurses were taken into custody while many also lost consciousness due to the extremely hot weather.

On the fourth day of its protest outside the Karachi Press Club, the Sindh Young Nurses Association (SYNA) started marching towards the CM House, breaking the police barriers and shouting slogans about continuing the protest until their demands were fulfilled. The demands included the promotion of nursing staff to the next grades, compliance with service structure and provision of professional health and teaching allowances.

The nurses have also boycotted the emergencies, intensive care units (ICUs) and other departments in hospitals across Sindh, as a result of which patients suffer inconveniences.

On the other hand, the representatives of SYNA, including Aijaz Kaleri, Ghulam Dastageer, Atta Hussain Rajper, Heera Lal, Sahar Hassan, met the Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani in the office of Karachi commissioner but the efforts to negotiate went unsuccessful. They said that Ghani told them that the government didn‘t have the budget as the federal government is not releasing its funds.

Up to 20 protesting nurses were arrested, including four officials of SYNA and other women nurses, as they tried to cross the barriers. The nurses carried out the sit-in at the Aiwan-e-Sadar Road and reached the PIDC Roundabout near CM House and continued the protest there.

The protesters demanded the release of the arrested nurses and the notification for the fulfilment of their demands be issued immediately or else they would continue the protest and boycott. They said that nurses do not get promotions and they retire at the same post that they started on 25 years ago. They had no other option but to come out on streets to put forward their demands as otherwise no department would take any action.

According to SYNA authorities, the number of doctors in Sindh was 18,000 while the nurses were only 2,300. An announcement for the appointment of 1,000 more nurses was made but nothing has been done yet in this regard.

The nurses association leaders said that they will not end the protest until the notification is issued while the boycott in all hospitals from Karachi to Kashmore will also continue. (By Our Correspondent The Express Tribune, 04, 03/05/2019)

New police law to transfer administrative powers back to Sindh govt

Members of a select committee formed by the Sindh Assembly to review a new bill to repeal the existing Police Act, 1861 and revive the Police Order, 2002 met on Monday and decided that the new law would bring the police ―within the ambit of accountability and under proper supervision‖.

The members of the select committee met at the committee room of the Sindh Assembly Building with Agriculture Minister Ismail Rahu in the chair.

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The Police Order, 2002, as per the draft legislation under consideration, would be revived with immediate effect ―as if it had never been repealed‖.

The Police Order was enforced by former military dictator Pervez Musharraf in 2002 and the previous PPP government had repealed it in 2011.

The draft bill would revoke the 2011 bill and revive the 2002 law as it was originally promulgated 17 years ago.

A select committee formed by the Sindh Assembly has started deliberations on revival of Police Order, 2002

Minister Rahu said it was expedient to bring the role of police and its responsibilities in the ambit of law as well making it accountable.

He said with the enforcement of the 2002 law, administrative powers of the police would be transferred back to the provincial government.

He said the select committee had begun furnishing and compiling recommendations over the revival of the police order, which would be submitted to the house next week.

―All recommendations being made by the members of the select committee would be incorporated in the bill regarding the police law. This bill will be tabled in the assembly with consultation of the opposition members,‖ said Mr Rahu.

He said it would be the Sindh government which would make policies and police would implement them.

He said the law would settle the issue about transfers, postings and police functioning.

Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan‘s Khwaja Izharul Hasan said community policing should be a significant part of the law and officials should be made accountable in police stations where crime ratio had increased.

Besides, input from civil society should also be part of the consultation on the new law.

Leader of the Opposition in the Sindh Assembly Firdous Shamim Naqvi, ministers Imtiaz Shaikh, Saeed Ghani, and Shabbir Bijarani, Chief Minister‘s Law Adviser Murtaza Wahab, Grand Democratic Alliance‘s Shaharyar Mahar also attended the meeting.

The new bill says the Police Act, 1861 (Act No. V of 1861) to the extent of its application to the province of Sindh and the Sindh (Repeal of the Police Order 2002 and Revival of the Police Act, 1861) Act, 2011 (Sindh Act No. XXII of 2011), would be repealed immediately as the new act got passed.

―All orders made (including rules, by-laws, regulations and notifications and other legal instruments), proceedings taken, appointments made, acts done by any authority or any person, which were made, taken or done, or purported to have been made, taken or done thereunder, between July 3, 2011 and the date on which this Act comes into force, shall continue to remain in force, until altered, repealed or amended by the chief minister or any authority or officer authorised by him.‖ (By Hasan Mansoor Dawn, 15, 07/05/2019)

Civil society urges Sindh govt not to deviate from court verdicts on new police law

Appreciating the move to revive the Police Order 2002, civil society organisations have urged the Sindh government not to deviate from judgements of the Sindh High Court and establish mechanisms to ensure independence and accountability of police by introducing the Police Order in its original shape, it emerged on Sunday.

This has been stated in letters written to Barrister Murtaza Wahab, adviser to the chief minister on law, and members of the Select Committee of the Sindh Assembly by Karamat Ali on behalf of civil society and petitioners in the A. D. Khowaja case (CP D 7097) before the Sindh High Court.

The treasury and the opposition leaders in the Sindh Assembly had invited members of civil society for a discussion on new police law in the province on May 7.

Later on, a meeting of some key civil society members was held at the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan office.

The meeting was attended by representatives of Piler, Shehri, HRCP and Urban Resource Centre, Haji Nazim, Shahzad Roy and others, who were petitioners in the A.D. Khowaja case.

The participants in the meeting held deliberations and prepared a host of recommendations, which have been sent to the adviser and lawmakers of the relevant body for consideration before introducing new police law.

―Police Act 1861 is a colonial-era law and it was a big injustice to the people of Sindh to have this law in place,‖ according to contents of the letter obtained by Dawn on Sunday.

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Karamat Ali, who is the main petitioner, stated that this was the precise reason civil society approached the Sindh High Court to have this law repealed.

―We believe and would continue to work for a system in which police are politically neutral, autonomous, independent and accountable,‖ said civil society.

They welcomed the decision of the government of Sindh to do away with the Police Act 1861 and revive the Police Order 2002, which they termed ‗comparatively a better law‘.

However, civil society was of the considered view that the Sindh province needed a ‗new comprehensive police law‘ and they believed that this could have been done by making ‗some additions and deletions in the original Police Order 2002‘ through a consultative process with stakeholders, including members of civil society, throughout the province.

While describing the initiative of the revival of the Police Order 2002 as a step in the right direction and fully supporting it, the civil society has recommended the Sindh government to revive the Police Order 2002 in its ‗original shape‘ and in true letter and spirit with ―strong police accountability mechanisms as outlined in the original order‖.

―All accountability mechanisms ie Public Safety and Police Complaint Commissions must be established forthwith after the passage of the law with genuine representation from civil society.‖

The petitioners demanded that the law must not deviate or come into contradiction with the Sindh High Court‘s verdict dated 7/9/2017 in CP No. D 7097 and the version of the Police Order 2002 which the Sindh government intended to revive must align with the court verdict.

Civil society also called for preparing and notifying Police Rules as required in the High Court verdict of 7/9/2017 without any further delay.

They suggested that the government should form a committee comprising members of treasury, opposition and other stakeholders, including experts and civil society representatives, to further deliberate and recommend reforms in the police systems in Sindh aimed at making the police apolitical, democratically controlled and effectively accountable, which meet the modern era requirements of the province and its people.

Karamat Ali on behalf of civil society appreciated both the treasury and the opposition for inviting civil society for talks on police law and assured them of their support in any legislation and policy making that ‗serves the public interest at large‘. (By Imtiaz Ali Dawn, 13, 12/05/2019)

26 people fined over ‘fake’ FIRs

A total of 26 people have been fined by courts for lodging fake first information reports (FIRs) about a host of crimes ranging from kidnapping to rape in Sindh.

―Police have launched a crackdown on people who lodge fake or wrong FIRs,‖ said a police spokesperson on Sunday.

As many as 26 persons were fined by courts concerned under Sections 182 (false information with intent to cause public servant to use his lawful power to the injury of another person) and 211 (false charge of offence made with intent to injure) of the Pakistan Penal Code. (By The Newspaper's Staff Reporter Dawn, 13, 13/05/2019)

Sindh Assembly opposition expresses reservations over proposed police law

Despite extensive discussion for the past four days regarding the revival of ‗Police Order 2002‘ through an amended bill, the government and opposition members have not reached a consensus on the law. The select committee, headed by Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) MPA Ismail Rahu, and comprising government and opposition lawmakers has been debating on the law before it is moved in Sindh Assembly.

Opposition MPAs called for the Sindh inspector-general of police (IGP) to be empowered. They demanded the authority to appoint and transfer police officers in all districts and divisions of Sindh be given to him.

―No one listens to our recommendation. The minutes of meetings are also not shared with us,‖ said Pakistan Tehreek -e-Insaf (PTI) MPA Haleem Adil Sheikh while speaking to the media.

Opposition leader Firdous Shamim Naqvi has written a letter to Rahu asking for minutes of the meeting, copy of police order 2002 – updated version, and the high court and Supreme Court judgment of the AD Khawaja case. ―We have observed that several changes have been made in the Police Order 2002 document,‖ said Naqvi.

Sheikh has also written a letter to the head of the select committee and other members expressing reservations over the government‘s intent to change the law and render the IGP ‗toothless‘.

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Sheikh opined that the law has to be revived in its original form. He said that ‗administration‘ is already defined in the high court‘s judgment of the AD Khawaja case in paragraph 89. According to the judgment, the IGP should have complete control over administration without any interference. This Article should clearly reflect the words of the judgment to ensure the IGP‘s control and command over his department.

He was of the view that under Article 184 of the Police Order, the provincial assembly could make minor changes to suit its local needs. ―It is susprising to notice that the proposed draft is not the original Police Order 2002. We must achieve clarity as to whether a federal law is being revived or a new provincial law is being enacted,‖ said Sheikh.

Meanwhile, Adviser to Sindh Chief Minister on Information, Law and Anti-corruption Barrister Murtaza Wahab has refuted rumours of the IGP being rendered toothless. He has said that all transfers and postings of police will be made after coordination between the chief minister and the IGP, under the new law. (By Hafeez Tunio The Express Tribune, 05, 14/05/2019)

SHC gives govt one week to formulate police rules

While the Sindh High Court on Tuesday granted time till May 21 to the Sindh government for framing rules regarding transfers and postings in the police department, the select committee formed to examine the bill for the revival of the Police Order, 2002 added another day for considering the bill before submitting its recommendations to the Sindh Assembly as the opposition parties stayed away from attending the last meeting of the committee.

A two-judge bench of the SHC headed by Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi was hearing a contempt of court application against Chief Minister of Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah and the then chief secretary for allegedly not complying with an earlier order of the SHC to draft new rules for transfers and postings in the police.

At the last hearing, the bench had granted four-week time to the authorities on request of the provincial law officer with direction to complete the process of examining the Police Order 2002 and other relevant laws as well as police rules of other provinces and the federal capital.

Opposition boycotts select committee meeting examining draft of new police law

However, when the matter came up for hearing on Tuesday, a provincial law officer submitted that a bill on proposed revival of the Police Order 2002 had been tabled in the Sindh Assembly and expressed the hope that the proposed law would be passed at the earliest.

Expressing resentment over the delays in the implementation of the order of the court, Justice Rizvi remarked that around three months had passed since the court issued directives for formulating the rules for transfers and postings in the police department. However, the judge noted with concern that the same were not being implemented and asked as to who was creating hurdles in this regard.

The law officer said the proposed bill was likely to be passed by the provincial assembly soon and requested for more time with regard to implementation of the court‘s directives and filing a compliance report.

Allowing the law officer‘s request, the bench members granted one-week time to the provincial government for formulating the rules and adjourned hearing till May 21.

The application seeking contempt proceedings against the chief minister and the then chief secretary Rizwan Memon was filed by civil rights campaigners.

The counsel for the applicants submitted that on Sept 7, 2017 the SHC, in its judgement in the A.D. Khowaja removal case, had issued directives for drafting new rules for transfers and postings and submitting the same before the provincial cabinet.

He further argued that complying with the court‘s directives, the then IGP Khowaja had drafted new rules and sent them to the provincial cabinet, adding that the provincial cabinet was supposed to consider the new rules in its meeting called for the purpose within 15 days of receiving the same from the IGP, but the meeting was held after a delay of seven days and the drafted rules were not considered.

Earlier, the court had repeatedly directed the Sindh government to convene its meeting to consider the drafted rules as per law and submit a report before it.

The applicants‘ lawyer argued that despite clear directives of the court, the provincial government had failed to consider the drafted rules; therefore, contempt of court proceedings should be initiated against the CM and others.

Opposition parties boycott meeting As the opposition parties on Tuesday stayed away from attending the final meeting for deliberations on the revival of the Police Order, 2002, the select committee added another day for weighing up the bill before its recommendations are submitted to the Sindh Assembly, senior officials in the government said.

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The three major opposition parties in the Sindh Assembly had complained a day earlier that they had not been provided with minutes of the earlier meeting of the select committee formed to examine the bill for the revival of the Police Order. They claimed it was not revival of the 2002 legislation, but it was altogether a new law.

Adviser to the Sindh Chief Minister on Information and Law Barrister Murtaza Wahab told reporters that the select committee would finalise the draft of the new police law by Wednesday (today) and it would be presented in the provincial legislature where the session would resume on Friday.

He said the committee had decided to recommend the Sindh government to form a Public Safety Commission at provincial and district levels in two months after passage of the police order in assembly.

Barrister Wahab was flanked by Agriculture Minister Ismail Rahu, who heads the select committee, and ministers for local government and energy, Saeed Ghani and Imtiaz Shaikh. He was briefing the media about the committee‘s meetings held at the Sindh Assembly building.

He said the meeting of the select committee was chaired by Minister Rahu on Tuesday that discussed the new police law.

―The participants of the select committee were moving positively towards making an effective policing system in the province making the police force accountable.

―The Sindh government gave positive gesture to the opposition parties, including Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan, Grand Democratic Alliance, by giving them full space to chip in with their recommendations.‖

Besides, he added, civil society representatives were also involved to make their recommendation for the new police order.

―But,‖ he said, ―it is very unfortunate to say that opposition did not reciprocate the government‘s positive gesture when PTI, MQM and GDA boycotted today‘s sitting of the select committee‖.

Mr Wahab said the committee had decided to keep the whole affair amicable and consensus-based, thus, it would meet on Wednesday as well, though Tuesday‘s meeting was supposed to be the last as per schedule.

―The meeting participants will meet again on Wednesday for building consensus and create unanimity on the draft law.‖

He said recommendations of the opposition leader had duly been incorporated in the draft but, ―they are bent upon scoring points on political grounds.

―The boycott of today‘s meeting was without any reason.‖

Barrister Wahab said the inspector general of police was also invited by the select committee in a sitting to know his opinion and his take on the matter.

―The IG police has accepted that Police Order 2002 was a balanced law which provided independence to the force as well as making it accountable. He said members of civil society, who had filed petition with the court, had also been invited by the committee to learn about their points of view.

He said civil society members‘ opinion was that their basic intention for filing the petition was to revive the Police Order, 2002, and formation of the public safety commissions.

He said that it was mentioned in the terms of reference of the select committee to review the Police Order 2002. He referred to the PTI‘s manifesto championing a single Pakistan for all, and that Sindh government as well did believe in one Pakistan and not two. He said the government was not in favour of absolute power resting with a single person, adding that transfers and postings in the police department should be made in consultation with the chief executive of the province and the police chief.

He said transfers and postings in the police in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan were being made in consultation with the respective chief ministers.

He dispelled the impression that the Sindh government wanted to keep powers of police, adding, powers would be delegated through the safety commissions.

Responding to a question on the boycott of Tuesday‘s sitting of the committee by the opposition, he said opposition wanted nothing else but to block the government‘s efforts to enact effective police system in the province.

He said members of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal and the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan had supported the draft bill.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the PTI said the government should hand minutes of the earlier meetings to the opposition instead of furnishing ―misleading‖ statements. (By Hasan Mansoor | Naeem Sahoutara Dawn, 15, 15/05/2019)

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Recommendations on new police order finalised with ‘inputs from opposition’

The controversy-ridden meetings to mull over the revival of the Police Order, 2002 bill by a select committee of the Sindh Assembly came to a close on Wednesday with another disagreement as the major opposition parties said they were not in the sitting when a vote was taken on the recommended draft.

Agriculture Minister Ismail Rahu, who was convener of the select committee, said the draft was finalised with the inputs of the opposition parties and members of civil society — a statement disputed by the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, Muttahida Qaumi Movement- Pakistan and the Grand Democratic Alliance.

After Wednesday‘s meeting, Mr Rahu told reporters that the committee held seven meetings to mull over the draft with the intention to make it a consensus document.He said it was a recommendation from the opposition that the SSPs should work under the deputy commissioners.

Opposition parties say they were not in the sitting when a vote was taken on the draft

On the statement of the PTI-led combined opposition warning that they would move court on the issue, the minister said in that case ―we will submit to the court that this draft contains recommendations from the opposition. The opposition wants to go to court by deliberately making the law controversial.‖

However, he said despite all that the committee was thankful to the opposition that cooperated with the committee and patiently listened to others as well.

―Even today,‖ said Mr Rahu, ―most recommendations came from the opposition, which were duly heard and accepted as well.‖ Points of disagreement

He said there were four or five points on which opposition and treasury members were not on the same page, which included the formation of the selection panel for the composition of the public safety commission and appointment of SSPs.

The matter was further elaborated by Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani who said the opposition wanted that appointment on various cadres of the police should be conducted through the National Testing Service while the draft said that it should be done through the Public Service Commission.

Similarly, ―We wanted that certain powers should rest with the SSPs, but later we recommended handing them over to the deputy commissioners on the opposition‘s demand‖.

Mr Ghani said the three opposition parties were themselves ―confused‖ on the draft and the issues involved, which was why ―they would negate a thing that they had themselves recommended a day earlier‖.

He said that during the marathon meetings, all sections and clauses of the draft bill were duly read out and debated upon and ―we listened to all recommendations and objections made by the opposition and accepted many of them and incorporated them in the recommended draft, yet they kept complaining all the time‖.

He said all the changes made in the police order and the draft were in conformity with the order of the court. He said the opposition was given copies of the original and amended police order with a request to make preparations for debate on amendments, but ―they could not read these documents. They ... have been taught by someone behind the curtain‖.

Mr Ghani said civil society wanted to make public safety commissions powerful and stronger, while the opposition wanted to clip its powers.

―We have not accepted the opposition‘s demand where powers of the commission are compromised that could harm the public,‖ he said.

The minister said the original document made mohtasib (ombudsman) chairman of the selection panel to finalise composition of the safety commission at which the opposition first wanted the chief secretary to head the panel and after several changes in between it came with the demand to make the chief minister and the opposition leader or their nominees as its members as well. ―All these gimmicks are meant to make a good law controversial.‖

He said the safety commissions at provincial and district levels were effective tools to make police subservient to the public.

He said the safety commissions had been formed after promulgation of the Police Order, 2002, during retired Gen Pervez Musharraf‘s rule, but they were not allowed to become functional. However, he added, after the promulgation of the Police Order, such commissions would be formed at provincial and district levels within two months.

Opposition’s contention Members of the three opposition parties in the select committee, meanwhile, did appear in the meeting where they demanded the minutes of the earlier meetings.

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―We walked into the opposition leader‘s chamber from the committee room after demanding minutes of the meeting with the request that the convener should inform us when the minutes were available. But they found an opportunity to succeed in their agenda and passed recommendations on the draft in our absence,‖ said PTI‘s parliamentary leader in the Sindh Assembly Haleem Adil Shaikh. ―In fact, they bulldozed the spirit and the whole exercise itself by passing the recommendations when we were not in the meeting.‖ He said he would file objections to the draft bill with court and if needed a separate petition would be filed against the government‘s ―plan to weaken an independent police force‖. (By Hasan Mansoor Dawn, 15, 16/05/2019)

Opposition cries foul as select committee gives nod to police law

With the Sindh government and opposition members failing to reach a consensus over amendments to the Police Order 2002, the select committee formed to deliberate the law finalised it in its seventh consecutive meeting and sent it to the Sindh Assembly for approval.

The select committee, headed by Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) MPA Ismail Rahu, and comprising government and opposition lawmakers had been debating on the law for the past one week.

On Tuesday, the Sindh High Court (SHC) had directed the provincial government on Tuesday to finalise the law for police reforms by May 21. During the hearing, the court had remarked that newspapers were publishing reports about differences between the opposition and the government on the proposed law. Petitioner Karamat Ali argued that the Sindh government wants to frame a set of rules according to its own choice for the appointments, transfers, postings and promotions of police officials in the proposed law.

Approved anyway On Wednesday, the committee‘s members still couldn‘t reach an agreement regarding the amendments being made to the law, but the committee‘s chairperson decided to send it to the assembly.

Soon after the meeting came to an end, the opposition members, rejecting the draft bill, announced their intention to write to the Chief Justice of the Sindh High Court to expose the Sindh government‘s intention to make the IGP and the entire police force subservient to it. ―The provincial government wants to keep all powers of appointments, transfers and postings of police personnel under its control,‖ remarked Opposition Leader in the Sindh Assembly, Firdous Shamim Naqvi. ―This is completely against the court‘s decision to empower the IGP. We can‘t accept this law,‖ he added.

Naqvi, who is a member of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was addressing a joint press conference with other lawmakers from opposition parties. Referring to the Sindh Assembly session, where the law was introduced a few days ago, Naqvi recalled: ―We were informed that Police Order 2002 was being revived in letter and spirit. But they have now tampered with the bill and made drastic changes, making the IGP toothless.‖

Opposition’s complaints According to the opposition leader, the government had refused to provide them minutes of the meetings, which reflected their nefarious design. ―Around six meetings were held,‖ he said. ―Despite our repeated requests, they have not yet provided us the minutes.‖

He added that the PPP, which has always played the ―Sindh Card‖ for its vested interests wanted to hatch a conspiracy to control the police. ―The Civil society has also supported us and we are launching a campaign against this draft,‖ he said.

Khawaja Izharul Hasan of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan was of the view that the PPP government had staged a drama of making a committee and taking the opposition into confidence with regard to this law. ―There was no need for the committee if they had to take a unilateral decision without incorporating the opposition‘s suggestion into the law,‖ he said.

The contention During the press conference, the opposition members claimed that all powers of appointment, from constable to DSP, were given to the provincial government, ignoring the IGP, who heads the police force in the province. Shaharyar Mahar of the Grand Democratic Alliance said that the PPP wanted to bring back the system of 2011 in the name of Police Order 2002. According to the PPP‘s amendment bill, the government of Sindh would have the authority to even replace the IGP.

MQM-P‘s Muhammad Hussain said that the court has provided an opportunity to change the current system of police which is full of errors, but the PPP wanted to bring a system that would place the police department under its control. ―But this is a gainst the judicial orders,‖ he added.

Govt responds On the other hand, PPP‘s Rahu told a press conference said that they had finalised the law after consultation from various stakeholders and will submit it in the assembly soon. ―We have to make the public safety commission, giving it all powers for appointments, transfers and postings,‖ he said, adding that the IG and Chief Minister will also consult each other on matters relating to the police. (By Hafeez Tunio The Express Tribune, 04, 16/05/2019)

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‘Amendments to Police Order 2002 to revive political, bureaucratic control’

Police authorities, civil society and political parties have serious concerns over the recently revived Police Order because of some amendments that are said to be against the spirit of the judgements of the superior judiciary, undermine the independence of the inspector general of police (IGP) and politicise the department.

On Saturday, the Pakistan Peoples Party-led Sindh government had managed to pass the Sindh (Repeal of the Police Act, 1861 and Revival of Police Order, 2002) Amendment Act, 2019 in the provincial assembly — a law that gives it power to sack the IGP without completing his fixed three-year tenure.

Two smaller opposition parties — the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan and Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal — supported the bill while the three major opposition parties — the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan and Grand Democratic Alliance — had opposed it.

The recently revived Police Order could only be enforced in the province after the Sindh governor gives his assent to the bill.

Civil society to hold deliberations When asked as to whether civil society would challenge the revival of the Police Order in court, rights activist Karamat Ali, who was one of the main petitioners in the police reforms case, said: ―We are going to have a meeting of the petitioners and concerned civil society organisations in a day or two.‖

He said that the meeting will review the new law and decide the future course of action.

IGP’s letter to Sindh govt says new law ‘inconsistent’ with decisions of the apex court

He said that the civil society organisations would share their views about the new law through a press conference.

Former IGP Tariq Khosa told Dawn that the Sindh government tried to revive political and bureaucratic control of police instead of depoliticising it through institutional safeguards.

Firstly, the composition and functions of oversight bodies, known as the public safety commissions, had been distorted to give an edge to the ruling parties, he said.

Secondly, he said, the independent police complaints authority had not been provided for effective external accountability of the police, as it had been merged with the public safety commissions.

Thirdly, administrative and operational autonomy of police command had been undermined by disregarding recent verdicts of the SHC and SC, he added.

―If the government cares for rule of law, they should have revived the Police Order as was promulgated on Aug 14, 2002 and should have complied with the court orders in terms of administrative and operational autonomy,‖ suggested Mr Khosa, who had also served as the director general of the Federal Investigation Agency.

―This is unfortunately a blatant disregard of interests of the citizens who want the police to be depoliticised, highly accountable, autonomous and service-oriented,‖ believed Mr Khosa. ―This move of the Sindh government appears to establish law of the ruler rather than the rule of law.‖

No attention paid to IGP’s concerns On May 18, IGP Dr Syed Kaleem Imam had sent a letter to top provincial authorities over a host of issues, but they paid no heed towards it and instead passed the law the same day.

The IGP was of the considered view that the Police Order was ―inconsistent‖ with the decisions of the apex court as it gave ―arbitrary powers‖ to the provincial government to remove the IG, thus undermining the administrative and operational autonomy of the police.

Furthermore, the new police law would also likely adversely affect the ―impartial and fair accountability‖ of the police as composition of proposed safety commissions and public complaints authorities had been changed as compared to the ―original‖ Police Order 2002, which may increase ―politicisation‖ of such institutions as these were tilted in favour of the treasury benches instead of being ―balanced‖.

Moreover, granting the home minister powers to transfer investigation may also ―compromise‖ the impartial probe. And increasing the role of deputy commissioners and the home department in law and order affairs may create ―bureaucratic bottlenecks‖ for police.

The provincial police chief was of the view that the law was not in conformity with the judgements of the SHC in CP-7097 of 2016, which was upheld by the SC as these judgements laid the ―principles for administrative and operational autonomy of the police‖ with particular reference to the powers of the IG as head of the department.

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‘No security of tenure’ The IGP pointed out that Article 12 of the new law negated the apex courts‘ judgements, which ―settled‖ the issue of the tenure of the IGP, as the new law gives ―arbitrary authority‖ to the provincial government to repatriate the police chief to the federal government, which meant there would not be security of tenure.

―It will make the police leadership very weak and uncertain and will have far-reaching consequences for the senior command and operational efficiency,‖ argued the IG in the letter.

The SHC had allowed ―premature‖ transfer of the IGP ―only on compelling grounds‖ but regrettably the new police law gave ―open- ended power‖ to the government to remove the police chief.

The letter pointed out that the SHC in its judgement laid down principles that the IGP must have independent control over the postings and transfers to end all kind of external influence ―even by provincial govt‖.

PA’s right to legislate defended However, former advocate general Sindh Zamir Ghumro termed such concerns of police ―unjustified‖.

―Police officers serve at the pleasure of the government being a force and they need to be under the civilian authorities in order to avoid a police coup,‖ he told Dawn.

Barrister Ghumro argued that a provincial assembly or parliament could not be fettered in legislation by the judiciary or any other authority.

―The Sindh Assembly has enacted an effective law to make police accountable to the people and government as it involves not only huge financial outlay but protection of life, liberty and honour of citizens,‖ he said.

He believed that the SHC had allowed IGP to exercise transfer and posting powers for an ―interim period‖ until the Sindh Assembly enacted a law.

The senior lawyer claimed that the powers of transfer and posting even under the new law will be exercised by the IGP but after getting approval of the chief minister.

He said that the public safety commissions and complaint commissions at the provincial and district level were ―akin to practice of the ‖.

―Police have been given functional as well as financial autonomy,‖ he said. ―We need not create a police state which is not accountable to the people, as powers and authority under the Constitution are to be exercised by the elected representatives.

―An impression of violation of court judgements is misplaced as the new law grants operational space to police,‖ he added.

―However, police want to be independent of government, which is not possible as it would be a state within the state and it must be avoided,‖ said the former AG.

‘Minor amendments’ He contended that the Sindh Assembly could not legislate at the wishes of anybody and no fetters could be applied to lawmaking. The police had argued before courts that the Police Order, 2002 was a good law, which had been re-enacted with ―minor amendments‖.

―Only in Sindh, police want a law of their choice, although it‘s the prerogative of the provincial assembly.‖

However, a senior police officer, who wished not to be named, told Dawn that it was not correct that ―minor amendments‖ had been made in the Police Order.

The officer pointed out that under Article 142, police law is concurrent law like the Criminal Procedure Code, Pakistan Penal Code and Evidence Act and under Article 143 of the Constitution, the provincial government can make ―minor changes‖ in a concurrent law. But the newly passed law had changed the ―spirit‖ of the police law, he added. (By Imtiaz Ali Dawn, 15, 21/05/2019)

Police powers in Sindh

THE amendments to the 2002 Police Order in Sindh are hardly an open-and-shut case. It is a larger question of who calls the shots in policing matters. The tussle is not confined to the workings of the police. There have been other victims of the same desire to control, such as the local government system which is only a ghost of its original self. Indeed, many link this battle for control over the police in Sindh with the ideal of autonomy at all levels. Sindh‘s case has been complicated by the presence of additional elements at work, such as court orders that have defied all attempts by the PPP-led setup in the province to use the services of the police to advance its own interests. The intervention in the form of the amendments that came on Saturday was due for a long time, given the frustration shown by Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah‘s government. The amendments, which do not come into effect until the Sindh governor puts his seal on them, seek to take away some crucial powers from the police and place them with the elected government. For example, the proposed changes bind the IGP to get the provincial government‘s approval to transfer and post

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Law and Order URC senior officers in the province. What has been more vociferously criticised is that the law would give ―arbitrary authority‖ to the provincial government to send the police chief to the federal government.

Experts have said that the new document is very different from the original one. The PPP government in the province has been blamed for destroying some of the basic features of what was hailed by some as a people-friendly law. The critics include the IGP Sindh who is on record as having objected to the change on account of its being against the spirit of the order. There cannot be any compromise on the efficiency and the independence of the police force. But it is also worrying when a provincial setup fears that it may be held hostage by hostile officials. Both these views have to be given due weight if an attempt is to be made to avoid yet another controversy about law and order in Sindh. In the end, the provincial government will have to learn to share power with others. At the same time, there should be no attempt by the centre or others to treat the Sindh setup unfairly, especially in comparison to others in the country. (By Editorial Dawn, 08, 22/05/2019)

Polio reforms

AFTER the hysteria over anti-polio vaccines in Peshawar led to a sudden spike in refusals, Pakistan‘s polio programme heads believed there was a need for evaluation of how the campaign is conducted at the grass roots. When it comes to eradicating polio, one case is one too many. Following the large number of refusals after the last anti-polio drive, there has naturally been an increase in the number of new polio cases reported throughout the country. Just five months into 2019, and there have already been 17 cases of the virus reported. In 2018, there were 12 reported cases of polio. In 2017, the figure was the lowest it has ever been recorded at just eight. Several interviews with front-line workers and their supervisors by the polio programme have led to the formulation of new reforms which will be in effect for the next campaign in June. Namely, front-line workers will no longer be expected to carry the burden of heavy data collection, but simply focus on administrating the vaccine.

Where they previously had to carry a large register of questions — and in many conservative households, the questions were perceived to be too intrusive — they will now carry a single piece of paper that serves as a tally of who has been administered the anti-polio drops, and who remains to be administered within a single household. The number of visits to households by polio workers has also been reduced: one visit from the front-line workers, and the second time as a follow-up by the supervisors in charge. These reforms are being complemented by a government campaign against disinformation regarding vaccines by bringing social media giants into the fold, as much of the disinformation was spread through social media propaganda. The changes will certainly ease some of the burden on the front-line workers who face a host of challenges, resistance, and hostility for simply doing their job, but whether they are effective in combating the virus in the long run remains to be seen. (By Editorial Dawn, 08, 22/05/2019)

SHC seeks details of debate in Sindh Assembly on police law

The Sindh High Court (SHC) ordered on Tuesday to submit the details of the debate on the bill passed by Sindh Assembly regarding police reforms and the discussions that took place in the Select Committee.

A two-member-bench comprising Justice Syed Hassan Azhar Rizvi and Justice Mehmood A Khan was hearing the contempt of court pleas against provincial chief secretary and others for not implementing judicial orders on reforms in the Police department. Sindh Advocate-general Salman Talibuddin informed the court that the bill for the revival of Police Order 2002 has already been passed in the Sindh Assembly.

The petitioner‘s counsel, Barrister Faisal Siddiqui, argued that the new law passed by the assembly on May 17, was contrary to the directives issued by the court.

The court remarked that has the opposition been taken into confidence? The opposition parties had boycotted the select committee, said the court adding that this was an important social issue and its effects would go long way. All the parties should have agreed on it.

The advocate-general, however, said that the judicial orders have been complied with therefore the plea should be rejected.

Justice Syed Hassan Azhar Rizvi remarked that the clauses mentioned in the judicial orders should have been considered. ―Tell us about the number of members who had participated in the discussion on this bill? There should have been a consenus.‖

Advocate-general Sindh argued that ―I can‘t provide these details because we are not bound to submit details of assembly‘s proceedings.‖

The court remarked that that‘s fine if you cannot provide the details but whatever has been reported in the media doesn‘t rev eal anything. At least tell us that to what extent the judicial orders have been implemented.

Justice Syed Hassan Azhar Rizvi remarked that at least the adopted bill should have been placed before the court for its revi ew.

Barrister Faisal Siddiqui said ―you would see complete violation of judicial orders in the bill. The IG would commit the contempt of court if he acts according to the bill passed‖, said Bariister Siddiqui adding that ―It is not a Nazi state and here the l aws passed in the assemblies are public property.‖

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The court sought the details of police law passed in the Sindh Assembly as well as the discussion over it in the assembly. The court adjourned the hearing till June 13.

The petitioner Karamat Ali had maintained in his plea that the government of Sindh wanted to make police law of its own choic e to regulate the appointments, transfer and promotions of police officials while ignoring the judicial orders in this regard. The petitioner had requested for contempt of court proceedings against officials of the Sindh government for their failure to implement orders of the superior courts.

The SHC in September 2017 had aside the Sindh government‘s orders to curtail the operational and administrative authority the provincial police chief. In its order the SHC maintained that the provincial police chief enjoyed full autonomy to manage and regulate the operation, transfer and postings in his department. The court also ruled against the transfer of an IG without t he completion of his three-year tenure. The Sindh government had filed an appeal in the Supreme Court against the judgment of the high court. However, the apex court dismissed the appeal in March 2018 and ordered the Sindh government to implement SHC judgment regarding reforms in police law. (By Nasir Butt The Express Tribune, 04, 22/05/2019)

Ex-IGPs view recently passed Police Order as a tool for political interference

Former inspectors general of police in Pakistan on Monday expressed their serious reservations over the recently passed Police Order by the Sindh Assembly, saying it was against the Constitution and rulings of the superior judiciary.

They termed it a sinister move of the Sindh government, which may increase political interference in the police.

The Association of Former Inspectors General of Police Pakistan (AFIGP) expressed these apprehensions through a resolution passed in their meeting.

According to the statement, the former IGPs expressed their deep concern and dismay over the ―ill-advised attempts‖ in Sindh ―to mutilate‖ the Police Order 2002, a modern federal law.

They considered the recently passed police law in Sindh as a ―flagrant violation‖ of Article 142 of the Constitution as well as several emphatic judgements of the superior judiciary.

Centre has been asked to align the police law with judgements of superior judiciary

They contended that the Sindh Assembly ―cannot introduce any amendment‖ in Police Order 2002 because like the Criminal Procedure Code, Pakistan Penal Code and Evidence Act, the police law also falls within the purview of Article 142 of the Constitution and the Sindh government could not make drastic changes in it.

―The Sindh government has introduced massive, mala fide amendments in original Police Order 2002 (as it existed on July 13, 2011), almost all of which, under Article 143 of the Constitution are void ab initio,‖ the statement said.

The former IGPs of the country suggested the federal government to ‗align‘ the Police Order 2002 with the latest Supreme Court judgement not to ‗further politicise‘ the police, depriving the people of Sindh of a fair, just, independent and accountable police service.

―The AFIGP strongly condemns this sinister move aimed at blatantly violating the fundamental principles of good governance and exacerbating political interference in law enforcement to the detriment of the rights of the people.‖

It has been pointed out that the AFIGP was actively engaged in advocating much-needed transformation of Pakistan‘s anachronistic colonial policing system leading to a modern, professional, efficient, autonomous, citizen-friendly and accountable police service that upholds the Constitution and the rule of law.

Moreover, the Supreme Court and Sindh High Court and Balochistan High Court in particular in their recent landmark judgements had defined key parameters of ―administrative, financial and operational autonomy of police leadership without which it is not possible to achieve such a transformation and enforce fundamental rights of citizens as guaranteed in the Constitution‖, they added. (By The Newspaper's Staff Reporter Dawn, 15, 28/05/2019)

The e-Court facility

May 27, 2019 marks a milestone in the judicial history of Pakistan. It‘s when the Supreme Court has started hearing cases via e- Court — a system based on video-link connectivity. A three-member bench of the top court, headed by Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khosa himself, initiated proceedings of cases through the e-Court system. For the first time, lawyers of Karachi, whose cases were fixed for hearing at the SC‘s Karachi registry, argued their cases through a video-link and the bench at the principal seat in Islamabad heard and decided the cases. History is thus made.

For our courts, clearing the backlog of cases has proven to be quite a task. According to official figures, about 1.9 million cases have been pending with more than 250 lower, special and superior courts. Of them, the top court has to deal with some 40 thousand. The use of technology will serve to address this perennial problem by way of discouraging adjournments which have become a sort of norm in our judicial system. Adjournments are sought and granted conveniently, often on trivial grounds like the

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The facility is helpful for both lawyers and litigants in several ways. It provides convenience to lawyers who can pursue their cases while remaining in the cities where the court‘s branch registries are situated. It is also beneficial for litigants who will not have to take the pains of travelling all the way to Islamabad to take part in court proceedings. So all in all, the e-Court is a step in the right direction that goes well in line with the agenda of structural and systemic changes that the honourable chief justice had set himself. (By Editorial The Express Tribune, 16, 28/05/2019)

Sindh governor rejects police reform law

Sindh Governor has returned the Sindh (Repeal of the Police Act 1861 and Revival of the Police Order 2000) Amendment Bill 2019 to the Sindh Assembly for reconsideration. The bill was passed amid protests by the opposition parties on May 18, earlier this month.

―It is appreciated that the Sindh government intends to change the 158-year-old Police Act with the objective to initiate reforms in the police department, hereby ensuring an independent, accountable and autonomous police without any political influence or interference in its affairs,‖ said the governor in its objection note. ―However the proposed bill is not achieving those goals and objectives.‖ The governor noted that the Sindh Assembly has passed a bill, which is in fact, not a revival of the Police Order 2002, but is outright inconsistent with the original Police Order 2002.

In his observations, the governor referred to the Supreme Court‘s judgment to empower the provincial police chief and said the bill seeks to revive the Police Order 2002 as it stood on July 13, 2011, but it is not the one which existed in 2011.

―It would be appropriate to mention here that the laws related to the police have been a contested issue in the province and have also remained a subject of litigation in the Sindh High Court and subsequently, the Supreme Court,‖ Governor Ismail observed. He went on to say that the upper courts have laid down certain principles and parameters on the issue of operational autonomy of the police department, the procedure of posting of the IGP and security of his tenure, transfer and posting authority in the police department and framing of rules for tenure and postings of police officers. ―The province of Sindh shall be entitled to make a new law conforming to the modern needs and also keeping in view the observations made in the impugned judgment.‖

Quoting 9 of the Supreme Court‘s judgment, the governor said, ―Transfers and postings on all senior cadre posts shall be made by the IGP.‖

Expressing concern over the inconsistencies in the bill, the governor said that the provincial assembly was competent to make laws, but they should not be inconsistent with the principles settled in the courts‘ judgment.

Referring to sub-section ( 3) of Section 11 of the law, governor said that the procedure for removal of IGP has been given, which again is inconsistent with the SHC‘s judgment that gave him a fixed three-year tenure and ruled against any arbitrary removal of the IGP, without compelling grounds. ―This provision requires to be reconsidered to avoid inconsistency with the judgment,‖ t he governor opined.

Regarding transfer and posting of deputy superintendents of police, the governor said that the powers have not been given to the IGP and Section 22 of the original Police Order has been deleted. ―This indicates that the intention of the bill is not to empower the inspector general, but to render him powerless,‖ observed the governor. ―Interestingly, the entire exercise of enacting the law emanated from the development in the wake of the judgment of the high court and the Supreme Court, but the bill ironically seeks to undo the positive developments.‖

To be passed anyway The Police reform law has been a highly contentious issue for the past several months, with the Pakistan Peoples Party government claiming to introduce reforms for greater accountability, while the opposition has been crying foul over what it says are measures to diminish the IGP‘s authority.

According to an official in the Sindh Assembly, they have received the governor‘s observations on the bill and will present i t in the upcoming session of the assembly. ―After the 18th Amendment, the assembly is entitled to reconsider the bill and will send it again to the governor for assent. The bill will be turned into an Act within 10 days thereafter, whether or not the governor gives his assent,‖ said the official, who is associated with the law department. (By Hafeez Tunio The Express Tribune, 04, 31/05/2019)

Action ordered against toy guns

The city police chief, additional inspector general of police Dr Amir Ahmed Shaikh, has directed the police to take action against toy guns as they are not only being used to commit robberies, but they have also become a public nuisance.

According to a notification issued by the city police chief office on Saturday, it has been observed that toy guns are being used by criminals in street crimes. Besides, the ammunition used in such guns was harmful as sometimes children playing with such guns hurt themselves in the eyes.

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―Thus, toy guns have become a public nuisance,‖ said the order. Therefore, the AIG directed all SHOs to take ―necessary action‖ in the matter in accordance with the law. (By The Newspaper's Staff Reporter Dawn, 13, 03/06/2019)

Injuries during robberies, theft of vehicles increased in Karachi in past five months, police data shows

Robberies with injuries and theft of vehicles have registered an increase during the last five months of the current year compared to the same period in 2018 though a significant decrease was seen in six other categories of crime — house robberies, street robberies, robberies with murders, mobile phone snatching and snatching of four- wheelers and two-wheelers, it emerged on Monday.

The overall robberies decreased by 8.63 per cent during the last five months from January 1 to May 31 in 2019 as compared to the same period in the previous year, according to the city police‘s data about robberies, robberies with murder and injuries and street crimes obtained by Dawn.

House robberies also fell by 14.71pc during this period.

―Fatalities during robberies decreased by 40 per cent during the last five months of 2019 as compared to the same period in year 2018,‖ according to the crime data. However, there was an eight per cent increase in robberies/dacoities with injuries during the last five months as compared to the same period in the previous year.

The city police chief says that overall crimes decreased, but street crimes are still a challenge

There was also an increase in theft of four-wheelers and two-wheelers as both categories of street crimes registered over five per cent and one per cent increase, respectively, during the last five months of the current year against the same period in 2018.

The city police‘s data showed that robberies increased in parts of Malir, West and City districts.

During 2019 up to May 31, 11 suspected robbers were gunned down in alleged encounters while 565 alleged robbers/street criminals were caught red-handed. The police claimed that 1,743 robbers/street criminals had been arrested by the police during the last five months while 3,267 illicit weapons were seized from them.

The crime data shows that during the last five months of 2019, 145 house robberies/dacoities took place in different parts of the city while 170 house robberies had taken place in the same period in 2018, thus a 14.71pc decrease was registered in such robberies. As many as 831 street robberies/dacoities had taken place in the five months from January to May in 2018 while this year, 716 street robberies had taken place during the same period, which showed a 13.84pc decrease.

During five months of 2018, 25 citizens were killed by criminals while resisting robberies/dacoities, but during the same period this year, 15 persons were killed, showing a 40pc decrease in the murders-cum-robberies category of street crimes.

The data disclosed that 89 persons were shot at and wounded by robbers on resistance in various localities of the metropolis from January to May in 2018 while during the same period in 2019, 97 citizens were injured by robbers, thus a 8.98pc increase was registered in the robberies with injuries category.

The police claimed that 6,226 mobile phones were snatched during the five months of 2018 while during the same period this year, 5,994 mobile phones were snatched at gunpoint, showing a decrease of 3.73pc in mobile phone snatchings.

There was also a decrease in snatchings of cars up to 19pc as 103 cars were hijacked at gunpoint from January to May in 2018, but during the same period in the current year, 83 four-wheelers were snatched.

However, there was a 5.59pc increase in theft of four-wheelers during the last five months of the current year as compared to the same period in the previous year as 510 cars and 483 cars were stolen, respectively.

The police data also showed that 636 motorbikes were snatched at gunpoint from January to May in 2019 while during the same period in 2018, 968 two-wheelers were snatched, thus a 34.30pc decrease was registered in the category of street crime. However, there was a 1.68pc increase in thefts of motorbikes during the same period as 9,635 motorbikes were stolen during the last five months while 9,475 two-wheelers were taken away in 2018 during the same period.

Street crimes still a challenge The city police chief, AIG Karachi Dr Amir Ahmed Shaikh, said that of the nine major heads of crimes, there was a decrease in six categories. He said Central and West districts were the worst affected, particularly in mobile snatchings and other street crimes, while there was a significant decrease in street crimes in South, East and Korangi districts, partly owing to effective policing.

He said the police analysis of street crimes showed that in theft of four-wheelers and two-wheelers, mostly Suzuki, Crown and Unique were being stolen because their ―lock system‖ was weak. Around 20pc stolen motorbikes were dismantled and their parts sold in Karachi while others, particularly heavy bikes, were taken to Hub in Balochistan for sale. Mostly teenagers were involved in stealing two-wheelers who subsequently handed over the motorbikes to their handlers for disposal.

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Mr Shaikh said that 30 to 32 street crimes, including snatchings of mobile phones and cash, were taking place in the metropolis daily and about 12-15 alleged street criminals were being arrested, but he regretted that the people did not lodge complaints at police stations or they did not pursue the case legally.

The police are holding talks with the Karachi Electronics Dealers Association to launch a crackdown against dealers involved in the sale and purchase of snatched mobile phones. Besides, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority had also been approached to block such phones once snatched.

Different teams had been set up, and recently 7,000 to 8,000 snatched mobile phones were recovered and given back to the owners.

Moreover, the number of police personnel was also being increased in the crime-infested areas of the city.

Since the city police were facing resource constraints, a shortage of manpower and equipment for duty, the police were also focusing on increasing community policing to curb street crimes. (By Imtiaz Ali Dawn, 15, 11/06/2019)

PA passes Police Order bill again as desired by governor, civil society

The Sindh Assembly on Thursday reconsidered and passed The Sindh (Repeal of the Police Act, 1861, and Revival of the Police Order 2002) Amendment Bill 2019 after it was returned by the governor seeking certain explanations and making recommendations to be incorporated in it.

The Sindh Assembly had initially passed the bill on May 18 amid controversy with the opposition and had sent it to the governor for his assent. The Sindh governor returned it with the basic objection that the said law was `outrightly inconsistent with the original Police Order 2002` Besides, the governor`s summary referred to the superior courts that laid down certain parameters on the issue of operational autonomy of the police department, procedure for posting of the inspector general of police, security of tenure of the IGP, transfer and posting authority in the police and framing of rules for tenures and postings of police officers.

Before the law, with amendments made by the government, was presented by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mukesh Chawla, Chief Minister Syed Murad AliShah said the law had thoroughly been reviewed after the governor returned it to the government and many amendments had been made as were suggested by the oppositionparties,civilsocietyandother stakeholders, including the IGP Sindh.

He said the repatriation of an IGP was sorted out again and his term could be shortened either by the federal or the provincial government by consulting the other in compelling circumstances.

Besides, he said issues such as transfers and postings had also been sorted out, adding that his government had no aspiration to control or dominate the police; instead, the new law was aimed at mal(ing the police efficient, responsive, responsible and accountable in addition to their character as anindependentbody.

He said the law would accord the government its due power of oversight of the police force to ensure that it did not act with impunity.

He said the bill provided establishment of safety commissions at provincial and district levels and `I assure the house that no individual having any political leaning would be made part of those commissions`.

Mr Shah said the provincial public safety commission would be established within a month af ter the bill was formally promulgated.

He said with the reviewed law, the IGP`s office had further been strengthened.

Before the law was formally presented clause-by-clause for consideration, Grand Democratic Alliance`s Shaharyar Mahar and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan`s Mohammad Hussain demanded that it should again be referred to the select committee for a further review. The demand, however, was rejected.

As minister Chawla started moving the bill in the house, members of the MQM-P and the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf walked out.

However, members of the GDA, along with those belonging to the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan and the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal, remained in the house.

GDA`s Mahar and Arif Jatoi sought certain amendments to the document. A couple of them were rejected by the house while the remaining amendments were withdrawn as the chief minister assured them that those were already incorporated in the reviewed law.

However, when Speaker Siraj Durrani put the bill before the house, some GDA members chanted `no`, yet, the chair said the bill was passed unanimously, adding that the `no` chant was raised in a lighter mood by a few opposition members.

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After the passage of the bill, CM Shah said the bill had set a precedent as no other piece of legislation had been consulted as thoroughly with all stal(eholders as that. He thanked the members of the GDA, T LP and MMA for being a part of the democratic process.

Peace in Karachi Mr Shah said it was the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party`s `political will` that brought peace to Karachi and the rest of Sindh. He said it was unimaginable in 2007 to travel in parts of upper Sindhwithout convoys protected by police contingents. However, the situation had changed drastically duringthose past11years.

He said a recent surge in crime was due to impaired government oversight over the police and divisions that had been created by certain quarters.

He said the government had taken care of all guidelines and directives of the court in formulating the new bill.

He lamented that the two major opposition parties walked out of the house without any reason.

Governor criticised Mr Shah`s tone turned bitter when he said the governor of Sindh was `violating the Constitution`. He said the Constitution was clear about the role of the governor and the latter was bound to act as desired by the provincial government.

`But this governor is hindering all this without reason and violating the Constitution. There should be a mechanism in the law to impeach a governor for violating the Constitution as we have for the president,` said Mr Shah.

He referred to the current assembly session, which was requisitioned by the government two days before the date set for presenting the provincial budget. He said the governor was not acting as per the government`s call to summon the session, which was clearly against the right of the provincial government, which had been given to it in the Constitution.

He was also critical of certain statements by Governor Imran Ismail, particularly the ones about the takeover of three major hospi- tals of Sindh by the federal government.

`You have taken over our hospitals, yet, your federal government has not allocated a penny for them in the current budget, but we will allocate a hef ty amount for them.

He said his party leadership and the government could not be frightened by the Centre`s intimidating actions.

`But we don`t believe in victimisation of political opponents.

Consumer courts Earlier, Agriculture Minister Ismail Rahu said the government had made all required arrangements for the consumer courts as judges for such courts in all the 29 districts had also been appointed by the Sindh High Court. However, he said as not all districts had chambers of commerce, the provisions for establishing consumer councils required to be amended.

Ophthalmology bill The Sindh Institute of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences (Amendment) Bill, 2019 was introduced in the house and was referred to the standing committee.

A resolution moved by MMA`s Abdul Rasheed was passed unanimously in which he had demanded that the federal government subsidise the essential kitchen items keeping in view the skyrocketing prices.

Mr Mahar said the chief minister should take cognizance of the rampant killings in Shikarpur district, where 16 people, including six women, had been murdered in the past 28 days. (By Hasan Mansoor Dawn, 15, 14/06/2019)

Two policemen shot dead in Orangi targeted attack

Two policemen of the Sindh Reserve Police (SRP) were gunned down in a ―targeted attack‖ in Orangi Town on Monday morning, as terrorism reared its ugly head in the metropolis after a lull, officials said.

Constables Ahmed Ali, 40, and Allah Dino, 39, were going to the Mominabad police station, the place of their duty, on a motorbike from their residence at the Saeedabad police training centre. They were not wearing police uniform.

SSP West (Investigation) Abid Ali Baloch said when they reached near Zainab School at Noori Chowk at 8.30am four assailants riding two motorbikes intercepted and fired at them. Both of them sustained critical bullet wounds and died on the way to hospital.

Investigators collected four spent bullet casings of a 9mm pistol from the scene of the crime. The empties were sent to the police‘s forensic science laboratory for analysing and cross-matching, added the SP.

Additional Police Surgeon of the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital Saleem Shaikh confirmed that both the victims were brought dead to the hospital.

Spent bullet casings have been matched with those used in the earlier murder of a policeman in district West

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They were shot in the head and neck.

Constable Ali originally hailed from district Qambar-Shahdadkot. He was father of four children. He was recruited in 2008. Constable Allah Dino belonged to district Sanghar. He was father of three. He was recruited in 2009.

Killed by criminals or jihadis? DIG West Dr Amin Yousufzai told the media that it appeared to be a ―targeted killing‖ incident.

He said that they did not get any specific threats regarding targeted killings of policemen.

Karachi police chief Dr Amir Ahmed Shaikh told Dawn that investigators were focusing on two likely motives, ie the constables were either killed by criminals or jihadi elements.

He said that the police got a ―significant clue‖ and they were working on it to trace, identify and ascertain the motive of the killers.

He said that the slain policemen had been performing their duty at the Mominabad police station for the past two to three months. They were shot at a close range.

They were targeted near the police station, which is far from their residence, and it indicated that the assailants might want to give a ―message‖ to the police.

As the slain constables were in civvies, it also indicated the possibility that the killers might have been ―familiar‖ with them, the city police chief said.

CCTV footage obtained from the crime scene showed that one suspect wore a helmet while another wore a cap.

Forensic analysis of bullet casings A police officer who wished not to be named told Dawn that four spent bullet casings fired from 9mm pistols were matched with two previous cases namely FIR 44/2019 at Iqbal Market police station registered on Feb 14, 2019 and FIR 36/2019 registered at the same police station on Feb 6, 2019.

Iqbal Market SHO Adeel Ahmed told Dawn that the first FIR (44/2019) pertained to the murder of a former police officer, Shafqat, who was gunned down at Rehmat Chowk on Feb 14 this year.

The officer recalled that one suspect was arrested in the murder case of the former police officer who got released from court on account of lack of sufficient evidence.

The SHO also revealed that the other FIR (36/2019) related to an extortion case. The officer said that since this extortion case actually belonged to Madina Colony police station, they would be in a better position to explain further about it.

Funeral prayers The funeral prayers for the slain policemen were held at the Police Headquarters, Garden. Provincial ministers, Sindh police chief and other senior officials of police, Rangers and intelligence agencies were present.

IGP Kaleem Imam said on the occasion that terrorists would be arrested soon.

He believed that such incidents would not deter the policemen from carrying out actions against criminals. (By Imtiaz Ali Dawn, 15, 18/06/2019)

Sepa violates rules, holds public hearing

The Sindh Environmental Protection Agency (Sepa) held a public hearing on Tuesday in contravention of its own rules and regulations and ignore d calls from some participants demanding cancellation of the hearing.

Under Sepa rules, a public hearing follows an environmental impact assessment (EIA) of a single project before its commencement.

In this case, however, the department invited public objections on an EIA report pertaining to all big and small surface mining ventures currently operational in nine districts of the province.

The EIA was carried out under an annual development programme (ADP) scheme of the provincial mines and mineral department which plans to `develop environmental guidelines for the sector in the light of the EIA document and the points raised during the public hearing` It remained a mystery for the audience as to why the government chose to ignoreits own rules and opted for a public hearing which, the audience was told, was not required for preparing guidelines for any sector.

The study Environmental Impact Assessment of mining activities in various districts in Sindh was conducted by the Environmental Management Consultants (EMC)-Pakistan.

Speaking about the EIA study, chief inspector mines Syed Irshad Ahmed Jilani said that the concept to carry out an EIA of surface

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`The contract was awarded to a company in this respect which was later cancelled as the company couldn`t initiate the process [as] per terms of reference, he explained, adding that the EIA job was awarded to the EMC later through re-bidding in 2014.

The EIA study, he said, was divided intwo phases; Phase 1 comprising districts of Jamshoro, Thatta and Tharparkar, and Phase 2 consisting of Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Khairpur, Shaheed Benazirabad, Sanghar and Dadu.

`There was a need for guidelines on environmental safety as the Sindh Mines Act of 1923 lacks this aspect,` he said, adding that recommendations generated through the EIA document and public hearing would be accommodated in the updated version of the law currently being vetted by the law department.

Rs50m for the EIA The government spent Rs50m on the EIA exercise which, it was pointed out, could easily be carried out through a consultative process by engagingexperts of relevant fields.

`The EIA is for a specific project of a particular site. [Under the law] there was no need for this EIA process to prepare guidelines for the sector,` said Dr Waqar Ahmed of Karachi University`s Institute of Environmental Studies.Taking up the same point, Dr S. Raza Ali Gardezi of Citizens for Environment referred to Section 17 of the Sepa Act 2014 according to which `No proponent of a project shall commence construction or operation unless he has filed with the agency an EIA or IEE`.

Construction activities/mining, however, had been going on without obtaining the EIA approval, he said, adding that the department could have generatedalotofrevenueifithadñnedoperators of these unlawful mining activities.

It was also pointed out in the programme that since the hearing pertained to multiple projects, the department should have opted for a strategic environmental assessment (SEA) under the law.

Senior engineer A.A. Chandani asked about the status of health and safety rules for mine workers which the court had directed to prepare over a year ago.

`If those rules have not been prepared, this public hearing shouldn`t be held,` he said.

There was also a concern as to why the department held the hearing of multipleongoing projects in Karachi only, depriving people of other eight districts of the opportunity to give their feedback on the EIA report.

Replying to stakeholders`concerns, officials of Sepa led by senior director Waqar Hussain Phulpoto and mines and minerals department argued that an EIA was required since public money was involved in the ADP scheme and that there was no provision for SEA when the government decided to carry out an environmental assessment of mining activities.

Questions were raised about the data on compliance with Sepa rules by mine operators and lack ofspecinc datain the EIA report on health damages people had suffered in the nine districts.

Earlier, Mohammad Haseeb of EMCPakistan presented some highlights of the EIA study which showed that all mining activities were currently unregulated and most spots had high air pollutant levels.

Miners, it was pointed out, worked in harmful conditions and had no access to basic necessities of life, including clean drinking water. (By Faiza llyas Dawn, 16, 19/06/2019)

Killing of policemen

IN a pattern reminiscent of a few years ago, law-enforcement personnel in Karachi are once again falling prey to criminal elements. Two policemen in plain clothes were gunned down in Orangi last Monday, bringing the number of law enforcers killed in targeted attacks in the city this year to 10. Police claim that the empties found on the scene matched those collected elsewhere in the same locality at the site of two earlier attacks on cops. In fact, at least half the policemen murdered in targeted killings since January were slain in Orangi. That may indicate the involvement of a local group familiar with the identity and routine of cops living in the neighbourhood. Similar attacks, however, have taken place in various other localities, including Hijrat Colony, Defence Society, etc.

Karachi, with its history of warring gangs, violent extremist groups, militant wings of political parties, etc, has not been easy to police, even though the force itself is riddled with corruption and known to partake in the proceeds of crime. The years leading up to the Karachi Operation in late 2013 were particularly perilous; in 2014 and 2015 too, with law enforcement taking on a slew of criminal elements, being a cop in the sprawling metropolis meant gambling with one`s life. Police were ordered to patrol in groups, and many avoided wearing their uniform in public lest they be targeted. Even traffic police were not spared, prompting bulletproof vests to be issued to them. According to official figures, 165 police fell in the line of duty in 2013; the next year, the number was 136. By 2016, it had fallen to 29. However, the number of police fatalities so far this year may point towards a resurgence in criminal elements that had been lying low or were driven out of the city by the Rangers-led crackdown.

Targeting law enforcement adds to outlaws` sense of invincibility and demoralises the police. The attacks must be investigated

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Jail survey finds close link between drugs and crime

A recent survey carried out in District Jail Malir has found close connection between drugs and crime as it reveals most inmates have landed in the prison due to drug related offenses.

The survey further learnt that a majority of prisoners took to drugs at a young age under peer pressure, some just for fun and others to escape frustration and a significant number of these drug users were married and lived with their families before being arrested and sent to jail.

The survey conducted by Model Addiction Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre of the Anti-Narcotics Force in collaboration with Essa Lab, Karachi, aimed at assessing the number of prisoners who had used drugs at any stage of their life and reducing gap between their health needs and interventions.

A total of 530 interviews were conducted for the study

Drug use at young age A total of 530 interviews were conducted for the study in which voluntary participation was ensured with strict adherence to confidentiality rules.

The survey found 92 per cent prisoners with substance abuse disorders. Of them, eight per cent were injecting drug users, 52 per cent were hooked to heroin, 17 per cent to crystal, one per cent to opium, five per cent to ice, eight per cent to synthetic forms of drugs and 15 per cent used cannabis. Foil use was found to be a popular mode to inhale smoke of drugs.

More than half of drug users aged between 21 and 30 years, 22 per cent between 31 and 35 years and 10 per cent were aged between 36 and 40 years. Forty-four per cent drug users were single, 55 per cent were married and the rest were either divorced or separated.

The majority was illiterate (54pc) and many engaged in menial jobs (30pc). Unemployment ratio was found to be at 28pc.

The majority had taken up drugs (60pc) under peer pressure, some for fun (20pc) and a significant number due to frustration (16pc). Forty-one per cent took to drugs between 15 and 18 years of age whereas 23 per cent between 11 and 14 years. There were 14 per cent prisoners who began taking drugs when they were below 10 years, suggesting that they were raised in dysfunctional families. ―Sixty-three per cent prisoners spent Rs100 to Rs500, 23 per cent spent Rs600 to Rs1000 and 8 per cent Rs1100 to Rs1500 on drugs daily,‖ the study says.

On the status of living before prison life, the survey found that 96 per cent lived with their families and the majority was in jail either because of drug abuse or their engagement in illicit drug business.

No drug rehab service The study refers to the Sindh police report 2015 according to which there are around 20,000 inmates in 20 jails and prisoners‘ centres across the province.

In Karachi, the Central Jail is the biggest prison in the city housing 8,000 inmates, though it has capacity to accommodate 4,000. Its hospital has (only) one psychiatrist, four medical officers and nine paramedics whereas the District Jail Malir with 5,000 inmates has two medical officers, four health department staff members and two paramedical staffers.

Seventy to 80pc prisoners in Malir jail, the reports says, are drug users who are being helped only with detoxification from limited resources at the disposal of the prison. The jail does not offer any drug rehabilitation service.

The other two prison centres in Karachi, women‘s prison and Youthful Offender Industrial School, have ‗only dispensers and a midwife to assist in the medical needs of prisoners‘.

The report recommends establishment of comprehensive evidence based drug detoxification and rehabilitation services in separate allocated spaces in Malir jail. Most men in prison are young, poor and illiterate and suffer from a variety of health conditions due to non-provision of primary healthcare facilities.

―Substandard prison conditions and the consequent stressors can negatively affect the mental health of prisoners or exacerbate pre- existing mental health problems,‖ says the survey.

Role of prison staff The report finds that substance abuse prevalence in the prison is high and existing services for the management of drug dependence are highly deficient.

―A high number of imprisonments were due to drug related offences and a fair number of men reported addiction to drugs before being sent to the prison. This highlights the need for provision of drug dependence treatment options for prisoners with problematic drug use,‖ it says.

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The report also notes that it is important to motivate and train the prison staff enough to bring about a positive change. ―The prison staff has the most important role to play in providing a supportive and healthy environment, which ensures that harmful effects of imprisonment on the mental wellbeing of male prisoners are minimised.‖

Every effort should be made to develop partnerships between higher prison authorities and the prison staff for every initiative undertaken, says the report. (By Faiza Ilyas Dawn, 13, 24/06/2019)

No more torture

THE use of torture by law enforcement and security officials in Pakistan has often been described, and quite rightly so, as endemic. In fact, as a cruel joke goes, the police here use the ‗third degree‘ with such reckless abandon that a suspect will ‗confess‘ to anything just to make it stop. The news pages and TV screens regularly feature accounts of those in custody relating nightmarish run-ins with the law, where police officers have tortured them psychologically or physically. In many instances, death in custody is the result, as in the case of an undertrial prisoner in Karachi a few days ago. The family of Sagheer Tanoli say he was tortured by police and later on died, though prison officials assert that he was brought to jail in an ‗injured‘ condition. Such accounts are far too frequent, pointing to the fact that the ‗thana culture‘ in Pakistan is a euphemism for torture and violence. Today, as the world observes the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, state and society in this country need to reaffirm their intention to stamp out torture, especially torture carried out by those in uniform.

As experts have pointed out, while Pakistan has ratified the Convention against Torture, the country lacks a specific law criminalising this odious practice. Lawmakers have come up with draft bills, but none of these have been passed. While it is true that there are good laws aplenty in Pakistan — though scant enforcement — a law against torture would be a significant step towards eliminating violence within jail cells, in homes and elsewhere. Moreover, police and security forces have to be sensitised to the fact that violence against those in custody cannot be justified under any circumstances, and that scientific methods need to be applied to solve cases. Torture in custody at the hands of officials of the state is partially responsible for the brutalisation of society. Indeed, torture breeds more violence and lawlessness in society, which is why this vicious cycle needs to end. Efforts to pass legislation that criminalises torture must be speeded up, while at the same time police and paramilitary forces must undergo training which reinforces humane treatment of persons in custody. Moreover, any official found condoning or encouraging the use of violence must face the law. Unless condemnation of torture comes from the very top of the power structure, such brutality is unlikely to go away. (By Editorial Dawn, 08k, 26/06/2019)

69,453 cases of rabies reported in Sindh this year

The unchecked increase in the number of stray dogs on the streets coupled with the shortage of anti-rabies vaccine (ARV) and rabies immunoglobulin injections, used to cure the disease, has led to a rise in the number of deaths caused by the virus. Sindh government and the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) seem unable to resolve the issue.

A report issued by the Sindh health department states that in the first five months of 2019 alone, a total of 69,453 cases of rabies have been reported in the province. Most of the cases have emerged in Larkana division where between January and May, a total of 22,822 people were bitten by dogs. Of these, 7,678 incidents occurred in Qambar Shahdadkot, 4,381 in Kashmore, 4,364 in Shikarpur, 3,752 in Larkana city and 2,647 in Jacobabad.

Similarly, 21,099 cases have been reported in Hyderabad division. Most of the cases were recorded in Dadu at 6,98 9. A total of 3,383 dog bite incidents occurred in Badin, 2,811 in Jamshoro, 1,984 in Tando Allahyar, 1,590 in Matiiari, 1,490 in Thatta, 1,188 in Sujawal and 802 in Tando Muhammad Khan.

In Shaheed Benazirabad division, 12,175 cases were reported while in Mirpur Khas division 6,774 cases have surfaced. A total of 6,263 cases were reported in Sukkur division.

In Karachi, a total of 320 cases surfaced. Most of these cases – 274 – were reported in Malir. A total of 18 cases were reported from Korangi district, 11 from Central district, 10 from East district and one case each from districts West and South.

According to staff at Karachi‘s three big hospitals, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), Dr Ruth Pfao Civil Hospital a nd Indus Hospital, 11 people suffering from rabies have died due to the shortage of the vaccine. There is a risk that the number of deaths could increase.

Sindh Health Director-General Dr Masood Solangi has written letters to the commissioners of all cities in the province including Karachi in which he has directed them to fasten the pace of work on reducing the number of street dogs.

According to medical experts, a victim of a dog bite can get affected by rabies if immediate treatment is not provided to them. The life of the person who was bitten by a dog can be saved if the ARV is immediately administered to them and medication course is completed.

JPMC Director Dr Seemi Jamali said that Pakistan is facing a serious shortage of ARV. She added that Indian drug manufacturing companies have reduced the supply of ARV to Pakistan. While the core reason for an increase in the rabies cases is the shortage of vaccine in the hospitals and lack of awareness in public, awareness programmes need to be initiated on the government level, said Jamali.

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She said that around 6,000 cases of dog bites have been reported till now in JPMC in 2019 while the number of deaths from the rabies is six. She said that there were 7,800 cases of dog bites recorded in 2018 and the number of deaths from the disease was nine. (By Rija Fatima The Express Tribune, 05, 27/06/2019)

Checks and balances necessary for sustainable peace in city, seminar told

―We should be engaging communities for everything. Engagement helps identify issues, which can then be resolved,‖ said Chief Minister‘s Law Adviser Murtaza Wahab during a day-long peace conference on Saturday.

The conference — ‗Engaging communities for peace building in Karachi‘ — was organised by the Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (Piler) at a hotel here.

―It is important to listen to citizens. A good system is a responsive system where all the stakeholders and those who have solutions can also unite to achieve more and for the betterment of all,‖ he said, adding: ―Political interests come and go but human rights issues are to be upheld at all times.

‘When services don’t reach the people, the mafias set in to offer you the same services but at a price’

―A sustainable peace is achieved when the system is inherent with checks and balances,‖ he said, adding that they needed to give the police here a proper policy and direction and there should be power given to the citizens for them to be able to question the police in order to ensure sustainable peace.

Call for regularisation of encroachments by poor

Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani spoke about how people and communities here had been used by people with vested interests to create violence. ―But that was during the bad times in Karachi,‖ he said.

―Now there is this general impression that some areas of Karachi are benefited more while others are ignored. Meanwhile, communities are blamed for issues such as water, transport, encroachment, etc. But it is the job of the government to provide such facilities to the people. Then when the government fails in doing so the people are used by the various mafias to create trouble,‖ he said.

He explained as to how encroachments took place, katchi abadis came up and how the ‗tanker mafia‘ flourished when the government failed to provide housing and water board failed to provide water through the pipeline.

―Then how can the government bulldoze people‘s homes, calling them encroachments, when they did not provide them housing themselves? They are human beings and must be settled elsewhere before their homes are demolished,‖ he said.

―If you want to fix your city, you need to sit together and think of a solution that suits all here. If Banigala can be regularised the areas where the poor have encroached can also be regularised,‖ he said.

Architect and town planner Arif Hasan said that what happened to Karachi over the years had also happened to other cities of the world.

‗Karachi is getting worse‘ ―The difference is that while they are getting better, Karachi is getting worse. We have no cargo terminals here, no warehouses, no workers‘ living quarters, no toilets, no housing, etc. And when the government doesn‘t provide all these they come up on their own, though haphazardly,‖ he said.

―When services don‘t reach the people, the mafias set in to offer you the same services but at a price. Thus you have a crooked infrastructure,‖ he said. ―Resources are not really scarce, the issue is of willingness to see the resources being used correctly instead of becoming corrupt. There is also a big difference between carrying out the law and doing justice.‖

Nuzhat Shirin, the chairperson of the Sindh Commission on the Status of Women, spoke about communities from the women‘s perspective.

―Females in our society are very vulnerable. They are the most suffering segment of society but they won‘t be able to do much if they see themselves as victims,‖ she said. ―We need to take them on board in order for them to play an active role in improving things for themselves. For this to happen, we need to make them aware through education, which will help them resist injustices.‖

Former chief of the Citizens-Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) Jameel Yusuf said that Karachi had witnessed the worst-ever law and order situation. He said that when he joined the CPLC in 1989, kidnappings for ransom were rampant in the city.

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―The CPLC launched an organised operation against gangs involved in kidnappings with the help of police and within two years, 40 such gangs were busted and this type of crime was wiped out,‖ he said, adding that to curb terrorism they launched two major military operations in the city, which substantially reduced the crime rate.

He said due to sectarian killings, many people had left the city, which had also caused the draining of capital and investment from the society.

He also shared the success of the neighbourhood project involving police, communities and area councillors.

Dr Riaz Sheikh of SZABIST and MPA Sidra Imran also spoke. (By Shazia Hasan Dawn, 15, 30/06/2019)

Court reissues notice to PSP chief in illegal allotment case

An accountability court on Saturday reissued notices to former Karachi mayor and Pak Sarzameen Party chairman and three others in a case pertaining to alleged illegal allotment of around 6,000 square yards of land to Bahria Town for a multistorey building.

The National Accountability Bureau booked the then mayor, then district coordination officer Fazlur Rehman, then executive district officer Iftikhar Kaimkhani, then district officer Mumtaz Haider, then additional DO Syed Nishat Ali and then sub-registrar-II, Clifton Nazir Zardari in the reference.

It also named five builders — Zain Malik, the son-in-law of real estate tycoon Malik Riaz, Mohammad Dawood, Mohammad Yaqoob, Mohammad Irfan and Mohammad Rafiq all associated with M/s DJ Builders and Developers.

On Saturday, the matter was taken up by Judge Dr Sher Bano Karim of the Accountability Court-III, who had last week summoned 11 nominated suspects after admitting the reference for hearing.

Seven suspects appeared on interim pre-arrest bail while four others — Mr Kamal, Mr Malik, Mr Yaqoob and Mr Zardari — failed to turn up.

The court directed the prosecution to provide copies of the reference to the suspects. It also reissued notices to the absent suspects, directing them to appear on the next date of hearing (July 11).

According to the reference, the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation in 1982 created 198 stalls/shops on two amenity plots adjacent to the Kothari Parade for dislocated hawkers while four commercial plots, each measuring 255.55 sq-yds, were also created in the locality.

It alleged that the plan was never implemented and M/s DJ Builders purchased four commercial plots and 198 stalls of the hawkers. However, the two amenity plots were never transferred in the builder‘s name.

NAB alleged that Zain Malik and others associated with M/s DJ Builders in connivance with then Karachi nazim Kamal, DCO Rehman and others unlawfully got transferred 102 stalls in favour of Bahria Town Private Limited through a conveyance deed without obtaining permission from the Karachi Development Authority.

The statement of the site officer clearly mentioned that the possession of the plots was merely a formality in documents, thus the physical possession of the land was never handed over to the builders since it was not possible at the site, which required bifurcation or earmarking. This clearly showed the whole scenario was made just to take over the plots of the hawkers and to give illegal benefit to M/s DJ Builders, it added.

It stated that the price was shown in the registration deed as only Rs260 million while its market value was assessed at Rs2.155 billion and the forced sale value at Rs1.724bn. (By The Newspaper's Staff Reporter Dawn, 15, 30/06/2019)

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