The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday observed that the unchecked smuggling of arms through ports left the impression that the crime was done with the connivance of security agencies.
The apex court ordered the customs, maritime security agency, the Rangers and police departments to file their replies as to what action they had initiated to curb arms, ammunitions smuggling through seaports.
The bench observed that weapons were pouring into Karachi from US, Israel and India through sea routes. “If all the stakeholders had determined to stop this smuggling, not a single bullet could have made it to the city,” the CJ said, adding that the present scenario pointed not to negligence but a complicity of the law enforcers.
The SC larger bench, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, passed this direction during the hearing of Karachi law and order case at the SC’s Karachi registry.
The bench took up the report, prepared by a one-man commission constituted by the SC on August 30, to investigate allegations levelled by the Rangers director general regarding smuggling of a shipload of arms and ammunitions by a former minister for ports and shipping.
According to the report, the intelligence agencies have denied smuggling of arms, ammunitions into the country. “However, the possibility of the same being smuggled through the seaports cannot be ruled out,” the report said according to sources.
“There are 39 sea routes used by the launches, but the customs department has set up its check posts at only seven routes,” the commission’s report said.
On the other hand, Customs Chief Collector (Enforcement) for South Region, Muhammad Yahya said arms and ammunitions were not smuggled through the Bin Qasim and Karachi ports. “They are smuggled in small quantity from Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa through road routes,” he said.
The bench gave the copies of the commission’s report to the attorney general, Sindh advocate general, DG Rangers and IG police to file their replies in this regard.
Illicit arms recovery
The chief justice observed that the government should not hesitate even to impose curfew in order to purge the city of illegal weapons.
AG Khalid Javed said the government had issued a notification on December 20, 2011 asking the citizens to surrender illicit arms.
The judges observed that the illicit arms can be forfeited in accordance with the law enacted in 1992. They said arms and ammunitions were being transported into the city from all the road routes due to poor monitoring and scanning systems.
The CJ said the authorities would have to take drastic steps if they were sincere enough to save the country and the city. “The illicit arms would have to be recovered either by launching an announced campaign or unannounced across the board initiative,” he stated.
Law & order
The chief justice inquired from provincial advocate general about the overall law and order situation in Karachi, and progress made during the last three weeks.
AG Khalid Javed Khan said different steps including reshuffles were made in the department of police, who with the help of Rangers were actively making efforts, conducting operation to improve the law and order situation.
“The situation is changing now. Perhaps we are taking steps. The federal and provincial governments have expressed the resolve to improve the situation in the city,” he said, adding the CCTV cameras were being made functional.
The apex court praised the steps taken by the government and noted that finally things had started changing and rolling. “Something in the police department has been removed,” the bench remarked recalling that various officers promoted out-of-turn had been brought down to their original ranks following its order.
Khalid Khan informed that in a recent meeting of the federal cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, it was decided to launch operation in collaboration of Rangers to curb crimes like extortion, targeted killings, etc.
“Also the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority has directed the cellular companies to start unregistered SIMs verification, which was started last night,” he said.
Witness protection law
The AG informed the court that the Sindh Assembly had passed Witness Protection Act on Wednesday, while it was decided that one police station each in the five districts of the city would be jointly run by the Rangers and police to ensure effective prosecution of criminals arrested during operations.
The CJ observed authorities had failed to implement Section 21 of The Anti-Terrorism Act 1997 which provided for protecting the witnesses.
He asked the heads of police and Rangers why the witnesses in the Geo TV Reporter Wali Khan Babar’s murder were not protected despite the High Court’s clear order.
The judges were of the view that the people were not coming forward to testify against the criminals due to sense of insecurity. “We want to ensure to the witnesses to come forward to testify,” they remarked.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 20th, 2013.
COMMENTS (15)
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@Bilal Anwar: Bro this is a statement from the Supreme Court of Pakistan! SO Im sure they have some pretty solid proof as the basis of such a strong statement! Why do we Pakistanis get so defensive when it comes to blaming India, whereas the Indians put accusations on us as if everything wrong in the world is because of us !..... I think its become somewhat fashionable for our educated middle class to always defend others and blame Pakistan and Pakistanis, even if the others are at fault ! We need to come out of this mindset because this is hurting our self-esteem as a nation.
@ jag nathan , Hindu, Christian and jews are pouring arms in Pakistan which is visible to the people of Pakistan but the arms being used by terrorists in Kashmir is not visible to them . Thid duelity on the name of moral support to the Indian Kashmiri is being practiced for the last 66 years openly by the Pakistan .
What a delusional nation. No arms being smuggled into Karachi from Afghanistan, China, Iran etc. Only the wicked Americans, Jews and Hindus do this. Delusion at its best. By the way, we Indians are doing whatever it takes to make life miserable for you. Stop meddling in Kashmir and sending your terrorists across our border and we shall cease and desist. Its Newtons 3rd Law at work - Equal and Opposite reaction.
At least, the criminals have enough sense not to buy chinese made junk!
So all the ammunition containers which went missing of the Pakistani army from karachi port was made in India / Israel / USA ??? wwooow ...
@Zaida P:
"All nations except all-weather friend China. Maybe because Chinese-made guns don’t fire when you want them to."
Or, the Chinese as is their practice marking their guns as made in India, Israel and USA! The Chinese have been caught making imitation products of all foreign branded products such as Nike etc. They have also been caught manufacturing and selling pharmaceuticals in African countries marked as made in India.
This nasty mentality leads worsen pakistan. its very dangerous if you are guilty and after that you blame other.
@Truth seeker, China made? Are you even serious?
Seriously we need to get out this paranoid mindset. Our problems are of our own making.
All nations except all-weather friend China. Maybe because Chinese-made guns don't fire when you want them to.
Free gifts from India ??
As usual, everyone in the world except us to blame.. the disease has spread
..and not Russia or China or FATA made? YEA RIGHT!!
I'm ashamed of the anti-America/Israel/India bias in Pakistan
unchecked smuggling of arms through ports left the impression that the crime was done with the connivance of security agencies.....USA should be blamed for not tracking its weapons that transit thru Pakistan. Serious investigation is needed to find out how much weapons have been stolen from shipment containers.