The residents are very disturbed and their fundamental rights are being continuously violated
KARACHI: The issue of street prostitution in DHA Karachi, especially in the area of Zamzama and 26th street, Badar commercial, Phase 5, appears to have been deliberately ignored by all concerned authorities. Since a few years, the area of Zamzama and 26th Street, has gained notoriety for being the hub of street prostitution, which is a daily affair on these roads.
The residents are very disturbed and their fundamental rights are being continuously violated. In this regard, many complaints have been made to the authorities, while some objections have been received by security guards or owners of the property where such activities are carried out. Unoccupied bungalows in the street also provide shelter for these activities.
From the perusal of the Provisions of Pakistan Penal Code 1860, it is clear that the Section 371-A PPC could be invoked if a person sells, lets to hire, or otherwise disposes of any person with intent that such person shall at any time be employed or used for the purpose of prostitution or illicit intercourse with any person or for any unlawful and immoral purpose, or knowing it to be likely that such person will at any time be employed or used for any such purpose, shall be punished with imprisonment which may extend to 25 years, and shall also be liable to a penalty. Similarly, section 371-B, PPC provides a punishment for the purpose of buying a person for the same purpose.
Whereas, The Police Order 2002, specifically provides that “It shall be the duty of every police officer to inspect without a warrant on reliable information any public places of resort of loose and disorderly characters.” Nonetheless, Clifton, Gizri and Darakhshan police stations are undoubtedly party to these businesses without any remorse, whereas the senior police officials of District South Karachi are ignorant enough to not recognise the sheer illegality.
That it is obligatory upon the police officials to understand that a public office is a trust, created in the interest and for the benefit of the people and since an incumbent of a public office is invested with certain powers and charged with certain duties, the powers so delegated to the officer are held in trust for the people.
As a law-abiding and conscientious citizen of Pakistan, having a right to enforce as enshrined in the Constitution of Pakistan, by moving in the court, in my capacity as an advocate of the High Court, I intend to bring the concerned SHOs and relevant senior police officials, out of shadows, by filing a Constitutional Petition under Article 199 of the Constitution of Pakistan in the high court at Karachi.
Arsalan Raja
Published in The Express Tribune, April 24th, 2017.
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