Making breakthrough: CM claims headway in Amjad Sabri’s murder case

Believes son of Sindh High Court chief justice was kidnapped to put pressure on judiciary

KARACHI: Claiming that some headway has been made in the murder case of qawwal Amjad Sabri, Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah said that Sindh High Court (SHC) Chief Justice’s (CJ) son was kidnapped to put the judiciary under pressure.

Speaking at the Sindh Assembly on Saturday, he reiterated that efforts are underway to recover Ovais Ali Shah. In his three-hour-long speech, the chief minister talked about budget and law and order and defended his governance and policies, which came under fire during the session.

He began his speech with two high-profile cases — the kidnapping of the SHC CJ’s son and the murder of Sabri — that recently made headlines in Pakistan. “We have made breakthrough in the murder case and have gotten important evidences,” he claimed. “But we cannot share the details at this moment. I assure this session that the murder case will be solved soon.” He added that the government has also announced Rs10 million as compensation for the victim’s family.

“We have formed three different teams to probe this high-profile murder case,” he said. “A committee, comprising Rangers director-general and Sindh IG, will oversee the case’s progress.”



‘Rangers are not in my domain’

Responding to Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s (MQM) demand to give special powers to Rangers in the entire province, the chief minister said that soon after the Nine Zero raid, MQM leaders began shouting slogans of ‘Go Rangers Go’ and now they are demanding powers for it and expressing sympathies for the law enforcement agency.

He stated that the Nine Zero raid was conducted by the Rangers to arrest most wanted criminals, including Faisal Mota, who was involved in the murder of journalist Wali Babar. “Rangers are not under my domain and this force is accountable to the federal interior ministry,” said the CM. “I don’t want to quote the name of the party that has requested many times to withdraw Rangers’ powers and send them back.” He said that he has given a free hand to Rangers to take action against criminals and the government will not compromise with anyone on the law and order situation of Karachi. “Time and again, I say that Karachi operation is not against any party or group,” he said. “It is against criminals and this operation will continue.”

‘NAB, FIA raids were attacks’

After lauding the Nine Zero raid by the Rangers, the CM went on to criticise National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for conducting raids on government offices. “This is tantamount to an attack on government departments,” he said, adding that many honest officers working in various government departments were harassed and FIA took away around 14,000 to 15,000 files relating to land records of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation and the revenue department. “They have yet to give us the land records back,” he said.



May 12 carnage

Shah also spoke about the May 12, 2007, incident, in which many people were killed. “We were weapon-less and suddenly came under attack while going to receive the chief justice,” he said, adding that terrorists equipped with latest weapons ambushed the caravans of various political parties and civil society organisations through indiscriminate firing.

“We don’t believe in the politics of revenge and have forgiven those who were involved in the massacre,” he said, adding that many cases were registered again him on talking against the then chief minister during former military dictator General Pervez Musharraf’s tenure, but he did not believe in such politics.

Irked by his remarks, MQM members began protesting. Shah clarified that he did not take any names. “Please bring the house in order,” he said to the speaker, on whose intervention the situation came under control.

Helicopter controversy

The CM’s helicopter and the Rs2 billion allocation for it also came under discussion on the floor of the assembly. Shah said the funds have been allocated for a new helicopter because the existing helicopter, which was purchased in the tenure of former chief minister Jam Sadiq, is in a shambles. “In case of emergency, such as disaster and law and order situation, the chief minister must reach the spot so it is necessary to get a new helicopter,” he justified.

Powers of LG representatives

“If all he powers are given to the mayor, what will be the role of elected members of this house and provincial government?,” asked Shah. “We want to give powers to the mayor as per law.”

Published in The Express Tribune, June 26^th, 2016.