Pakistan

Rangers killing: Youth laid to rest, condemnations pour in

Scores of people attend funeral prayers of 19-year-old matric student who was shot dead by Rangers in Karachi.

Express/afp June 09, 2011

KARACHI: Funeral prayers of the youth shot dead in a public park by Rangers were held in Karachi on Thursday.

Scores of people attended the funeral prayers of 19-year-old student Sarfaraz Shah, who was shot at point blank range in a public park in an incident filmed live and broadcast on television on Wednesday. Shah’s body has been taken by relatives for burial.

Earlier, Shah's relatives took his body and protested outside the house of the Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah demanding that the soldiers be arrested. The CM ordered an inquiry and suspended a senior police official for charging the youth with robbery after his death. Police subsequently arrested the five Rangers involved in the incident, and a case has been registered against Afzal and Shahid Zafar.

The Rangers claim that Shah had tried to rob a policeman's family. A police official later told AFP on condition of anonymity that only a toy gun had been recovered.

Town Police Officer (TPO) Tarik Dharajo said that five Rangers personnel had been arrested following this incident. He added, however, that legal action cannot be initiate against them till they are court-martialled, as they are paramilitary security officials.

Dharejo said that they will be charged under the Pakistan Penal Code.

Condemnations aplenty

Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani took notice of the killing on Thursday, and ordered an inquiry into the matter. The prime minister promised to personally handle the incident.

Senator Raza Rabbani compared the extra-judicial killing to the Kharotabad killing in which five foreigners were shot dead by security officials.

President of the Supreme Court Bar Association and prominent human rights activist, Asma Jahangir also condemned the killing.

"Seeing this, anyone can guess how brutalised our society has become," Jahangir told AFP.

Interior Minister Rehman Malik ordered the arrest of the soldiers involved and a departmental inquiry.

"This act is extremely unlawful, even if the youth was a robber it did not merit to kill him like this," Malik told TV channels.

"The suspects in the incident have been arrested. I have ordered for a thorough inquiry."

Footage of the incident, filmed by an unidentified cameraman, was broadcast repeatedly on local television stations.

In it, a soldier can be seen dragging the man, then throwing him towards half a dozen armed comrades, one of whom then shot the 19-year-old twice at point-blank range as he begged for his life.

The park where the incident took place is named after assassinated former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, whose family home is in Clifton.

Correction: June 9, 2011

Initial reports claimed that Sarfaraz Shah was 25 years old. Latest reports say that he was 19 years old.

COMMENTS (76)

dajjal | 13 years ago | Reply u r rite@Dajjal:

amir | 13 years ago | Reply raise u r voice against these,how brutual they r,they evn dnt thought 4 his family..shah was same as of our age..not done,not dne at all..

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Sean | 13 years ago | Reply Justification for a crime: Some have argued for that the teen was a criminal and may have posed a threat to the Rangers and Police: Allegations (from high officials as well) without proof and trial of the dead would be liable in most developed Nations. .....Your argument (justification, understanding, or leniency) may be sound if there was no video tape of the incident. This argument has been used all over the world to justify murder of innocent people through justification by association...meaning the reverse....instead of all are innocent until proven guilty to all are guilty and must prove their innocence. It is true our law enforcement officials and troops must be thanked for their great service to Pakistan. All people must support the law, police, and our troops... with the very difficult job they do to protect us…Their bravery and sacrifices must be upheld…. …..Accepting that, these individuals, Rangers, crossed the line and became a part of the problem that Pakistan is transitioning through….with a few shots, these individuals tarnished the hard work and sacrifice of so many others...They became Judge, Jury and Executioners.... Why do civilized societies have laws, jails, courts and lawyers, judges and juries (should we do away with all these as luxuries). Murder is murder, whether it done in or out of uniform. This doesn't bode well if Pakistan wants to be a Just and Honourable Society. There must consequences for this action...trial and justice....the nation must see this transparently. If the public has no faith in the public officials and the law...all the institutions will be blemished, tarnished and break down ...which many will argue has already happened. Sean

Zunaira | 13 years ago | Reply ashameful... hats off to our leaders,lyf is no more secure in our country...

buttjee339 | 13 years ago | Reply The man who made the video should be sorted out well and proper. Instead of trying his skills on camera should have evacuated the wounded person to the hospital. His act is malicious and insult to humanity. He should share the responsibility along with the shooters.

Jehan | 13 years ago | Reply This is a conspiracy against pakistan. This is a conspiracy against Muslims. This is a conspiracy against Islam.

Hassan | 13 years ago | Reply I wonder why he was saying Main Majboor hoon before he went towards rangers?? If rangers had intention to kill him, why they shot him on the leg why not directly on the head where they can? Extra-judicial killing should not be appreciated but one should look at the incident without any bias and prejudices?...

moeed | 13 years ago | Reply oh my god what if this was your brother how would you have felt. I am ashamed to see so many people say that he was a robber so what if he was, he did'nt deserved to die like this. The guard from the rangers were not at threat so why did he opened fire on him and why was'nt he taken to the hospital. i will only say that the justice has been done when this guy in the picture taking the shots and showing very agressive behaviour toward that boy will be tried in a court for murder of this boy. Cmon guys the poor boy was just 19 give this nation a break

Zain Shariq | 13 years ago | Reply Even if was a robber, even if he did approach the rangers, even if he had a gun which appeared to be real at the time, shooting him and letting him bleed to death is unacceptable. We call ourselves the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, yet we fail to observe the tenets of the religion where ever they need to be applied. It is unlawful to to kill someone in this way when he posed no immediate threat. And it is especially unlawful to let the man bleed to death while he implores for medical assistance. This society has only one value it seems, and that is hypocrisy.

Teetar-Bateyr | 13 years ago | Reply It makes no difference if he was a robber or not. Rangers were supposed to protect the law not break it so blatantly. It was murder and all those who committed it should be sent to gallows. Its another shameful day for us. I am angry I am frustrated.

Salman | 13 years ago | Reply @Aamir Rehman: The point is that even if he was a robber than after getting shot by the rangers he must have been taken to the hospital for medical aid. After that it was a matter of court. May be the rangers did right at the first place although I am not sure but after shooting him they must have taken him to the hospital.

Salman | 13 years ago | Reply @Aamir Rehman: The point is that even if was a robber and after getting shot by the rangers he must have been taken to the hospital for medical aid. After that it was a matter of court. May be the rangers did right at the first point although I am not sure but after shooting him they must have taken him to the hospital.

raja saboor | 13 years ago | Reply who made da video where is he and how such a clear video some insider or some spy cam

S Khan | 13 years ago | Reply Its sad, what is happening in Pakistan.

BleedingPakistan | 13 years ago | Reply All those who speak as if it was ok to shoot someone who begged for his life need to see with thier on eyes what happened. So your justification on how to deal with a robber is to shoot him at point blank range and left him to die as he bleeds to death begging for his life, begging to take him to hospital? See the uncensored version if you can bear and then tell if you are still ok with with it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mCbWIEk8qI moderator please allow my comment through

Chilli | 13 years ago | Reply From Pakistan to Barbaristan, thanks to our security apparatus.

FAZ | 13 years ago | Reply Indirectly this shows the weakness of our judicial system. The real street robbers, even if caught red handed go free in a matter of months. Infact mugging on gun point, should be taken as an attempt to murder. Have we not heard enough of people being killed by these robbers? Having said all of this i still believe this guy should have been tried. The only "positive" thing I could imagine is that this brutality renders fear in the hearts of the "real" street robbers. At lest for a few days!!

fakhar uddin | 13 years ago | Reply Apart from commenting on the brutal or benign behavior of security forces with their own citizens, the incident is sorrowful rather frightening.The culprits need to be dealt with justice...

Rafay | 13 years ago | Reply @Nazer. i 100 % agree wid u.

Nazar | 13 years ago | Reply Only Khorotabad and Karachi killing is made public. How many such brutal acts have not reported...God knows. These incidents are connected and can be inferred how the security forces act..They are trained to kill not save. There is no ethics.

Mohammad Awais | 13 years ago | Reply Will CJ take suo moto notice of this gruesome incident? He acted promptly on the incident of Atiqa Odho and the people expect that he will act on this event as well.

AMJAD | 13 years ago | Reply These days the law and order situation in the country demands stern action against anyone who tries to breach the law. In this case a street robber got what he deserved. May be rangers performed their duty with little extra zeal. I hope it will have some dampening effect on those who indulge in robberies and other street crimes

Hatim | 13 years ago | Reply If you watch the whole video, it's clear that the victim was not innocent. He claims to have used a "naqli" gun to rob. Then he lunges at a ranger and tries to grab his gun. He would probably have met the same fate in any other country.

Umair | 13 years ago | Reply @jamil moiz: Mr.Jamil i think so,actually em sure that u r a selfless person wd a selfless soul...see the video again n thn say that wheather thr wz an order for him to sit in da police van...u r totally blind...n suppose taht he was a criminal thn it iz rite to kill him infront of all...n if u hit him thn thr ix a rule to take him to the hospital...u r the ppl who dnt who abt humanity...u r ppl wd culprits mind...if it will happen wd ur family thn come on say these same wordx as u say for SARFRAZ SHAH....

Javed | 13 years ago | Reply And the Chief Justice ran out of suo moto again. He used the last one on Atiqa Odho.

paindo | 13 years ago | Reply don,t blame rangers as a whole, bring to book those who are responsible for henious crime.

Saqib Mansoor | 13 years ago | Reply AHHAHA... I love this country.

Sohail Khan | 13 years ago | Reply Justice demands something.... i think its up to us now...I am not ashamed .... I am used to this .... lets us unite.... for peace ... let us seek guidance from Quran... and do as Quran says.... let us UNITE

ackl | 13 years ago | Reply if we do nothing then we are supporters of such crimes

Ali | 13 years ago | Reply Hopefully this death will cause a revolution like Tunisia...enough is enough..these sold out politicians and armed forces have been brutalizing the people for 63 years...It time for a change...

nawaz | 13 years ago | Reply @Dajjal: yea. and better give him nishan e haider too. I wonder why the family hasn't yet asked for it.

Aamir Rehman | 13 years ago | Reply In my humble opinion wat they did was right ..... if u look at the video more closely a pistol was confiscated from this guy and after that, when he was told to lie down for a search he tried many times to get a hold of shooter's gun upon which he was shot dead he was a possible threat which had to be dealt with force. we are just fools living in a fools world we dont see the positive side we always for the negetive aspect of the story wat if that person gotve had the hold of the shooters guns which he tried several times and starting his rampage of shooting at the rangers ????/ THINK ABOUT IT AND THEN SPEAK

Inam | 13 years ago | Reply Nothing new. It will take my whole life to forget about the brutal lynching of brothers in Sialkot. and now this. We sometimes feel ashamed of being called pakistanis living in foreign countries.

Hedgefunder | 13 years ago | Reply what is going on in this godforsaken Country??? We know that Such thing as Justice simply is non existant, however it seems like the Jungle Rule where by its an survival of the fittest!!! Dread to think what else goes on!!! We see an Journalist being kidnapped and killed ! No suspects and not that anyone will be held responsible for the crime! Now we are seeing an unarmed teenager being shot at point blank range by the very people who are suppose to be protecting the people of this Nation !!!

Saad | 13 years ago | Reply No doubt this is terrible, but please let's not get too emotional. We can't condem someone unheard. Let's the investigative committe go through the whole episode then just the clip being shown on media, to invistigate the whole saga as to waht happened. Once again, this is in no way defendable, but i'm sure we will all agree that a bandit riddling 15 bullets throguh the chest of a man driving his car in karachi just beacuse he didn't handover his cell phone to them, is also not defendable. ; It is time that the politicains sit together and think how can Karachi be rescued from the hands of "Batha khoors".

Nadeem Ahmed | 13 years ago | Reply This is a clear case of self defence. The guy tried to snatch ranger's gun. He should have stood at one spot with his hands up in the air. Once he ran towards rangers, that was the most crucial moment. The rangers did what they had to do. Karachi is full of such criminals who rob innocent people in day light. The law enforcement agencies are fed up from these robbers, murderers and target shooters.

Kamran | 13 years ago | Reply Armed or unarmed, guilty or not, my question is simple and represents the demand of all the Pakistanis... Would they have shot the son of a minister, even if he was carrying a fully automatic machine gun???

Adeel | 13 years ago | Reply shameful!

Naeem | 13 years ago | Reply This ''Student'': Only moments earlier had held a family hostage at gunpoint with his pistol He was arrested but fought with Ranegrs and attempted to snatch Rangers' Rifle. You would be shot in any part of the world for this sort of act...Pakistan or no Pakistan.... He was just a very unprofessional street robber. Hurray for Pak Rangers.

Pk Scoop | 13 years ago | Reply This was totally brutal. These rangers are proud of I don't know what. And where is the pride in killing an unarmed person? The involved rangers should be hanged.

Haider Hussain | 13 years ago | Reply What are rangers doing in Karachi, except for occupying precious space and buildings? Crimes are on the rise and these rangers are doing litterally nothing. Even if the young fellow was a criminal, footage shows that he had surrendered and threfore should be arrested, not killed.

A.Khan | 13 years ago | Reply In the clip later, some of rangers personals were speaking punjabi. If they are employed in karachi then they should be from karachi.

Maher | 13 years ago | Reply Wat will happen if tomorrow any one of us will face the same incident??? If any one of us is shot like this then? Few comments...., prayers for the departed soul and then we will get busy in our stuff. We are used to it. No use ....

Lobster | 13 years ago | Reply

that legal action cannot be initiate against them till they are court-martialled, as they are paramilitary security officials

It settles this, so-called security forces are above any law. Rest assured nothing would happen. As far as PM remarks are considered, he has established himself as hollow statement machine aka "Makholia"

Rock | 13 years ago | Reply @maryam: Don't compare law of jungle with law of human. Animals attack only when they are threaten or hungry. Animals don't hurt otherwise.

Sylvester Conception | 13 years ago | Reply Pakistani security forces national and international lawlessness must be challenged.

Saleem Khan | 13 years ago | Reply Sir gee, our whole society has become selfish and self centered...How a common man can discourage these politicians and military people without getting united and killing such armed soldiers on spot. Hamari Ghairat sirf Anti American slogans k liyeh he reh gai hai. These politicians are making us so fool that willing to do DHARNA for drone attacks (drones actually killing terrorists) but they will never ever state a single line to eradicate internal issues. All double standards and nothing else.

Fahad Raza | 13 years ago | Reply @shani: No send all of them away from cities even if North waziristan.

Tanzeel | 13 years ago | Reply Had the guy snatched rifle (as in the footage he was trying to) and opened fired at Rangers the same media would have been cursing our security agencies for being good for nothing. This guy seems to be a criminal because an ordinary citizen would not have hidden his face from the camera, or apologize -- he would rather hands up and stand silently -- a pistol was also recovered from him. If the guy was given to the police custody he would have definitely released through courts due to lack of evidences. Infact Ranger's personnel never wanted to kill him until he tried to snatch his rifle then only he was shot on his leg. I believe benefit of the doubt should be given to Rangers, if we keep portraying negative image of Rangers such criminals would be encouraged and will continue to kill innocent civilians.

seeking for justice | 13 years ago | Reply Is this justice..............? Are we living in a country for what our ancestors laid down their lives? Our defenders have became monsters. The culprits should be hanged in order to teach everyone the lesson of justice. We, the public are waiting to see what the government is going to do now. We need our Administrations(government) to wake up from slumber. We have seen injustice and many wrong decisions taken by the government. We cant compromise now......NOW ITS THE TIME TO WAKE UP!!

FZ | 13 years ago | Reply Sad. However this is our society and we are all to blame. If we really want to change things we should come out on the streets and stop looking to others to solve the ills of our society

Salman Orangiwala | 13 years ago | Reply Just look at the eyes of the muderer in the captioned picture . We have seen these looks into the eyes of Alexander , Hulagu Khan , Chenghis Khan whenever they rolled down the beseized castle walls of their enemies . These socalled LEA has been a continuous nuisance ,eating up the resources of Sindh not even beong to Karachi or Sindh . Why are we scared to make it clear that we donot need to feed these LEA who just stand at the corner of a roundabout ogling women while mob looting buses ,moble snatching , target killings are underway just two alleys back . Did anyone even notice in the picture the physical attributes of the two . The Ranger is Well-fed , the poor guy Shah is iIl-fed . Sindh feeds the Rangers , taking out the share from Shah. Thats the starkest difference .

buttjee339 | 13 years ago | Reply One or two rotten eggs with in a community of large number of honourable people bring a bad name to the entire community. Such people should not be allowed to go unpunished. On the other hand Rangers have rendered excellent services in maintaining peace in Karachi. In certain encounters they have suffered casualties also. Usually when a force is employed in populated areas for a prolonged period then the command control is decentralized which results in such cases of breach of discipline. We should not therefore condemn them out rightly. Instead we should insist on improving the discipline of this force.

waqas | 13 years ago | Reply not blame all the rangers , it is an heinous individual's act , who should be punished severely.period.

ali | 13 years ago | Reply I am surprised that we have have not yet come up with some conspiracy in this act. It should be Moosad or Raw who is always do something to malign our brave soldiers. May Allah protect us all.

ASQ | 13 years ago | Reply so whats the difference between taliban and our armed forces?????both have the same traits kill innocent and runaway from someone equally or better equipped then them.

ZeuS KhaN | 13 years ago | Reply That's why, I litterally HATE PAKISTAN SECURITY FORCES.

maryam | 13 years ago | Reply its not a country its jungle!and the law of the jungle prevails here!

M Zeeshan Siddique | 13 years ago | Reply There are always two sides to a story - this is not a scenario where a student was picked off from street dragged and then shot - Decease was infact an attempted robber but "his extra judicial Killing" either by law enforcement agencies or by bystanders can not be justified by no means what so ever.......... We as a nation have fallen into an Abyss and are sinking deeper as days go by ......

shani | 13 years ago | Reply @Fahad Raza: troops are already there..

Ayesha Hoda | 13 years ago | Reply @aamir shahid: Our police and rangers never fire when required. They do nothing when there are target killings or mobs killing people, looting or damaging properties. In a majority of cases they are actually supporting the criminals. This is really chilling, to say the least. It's hard to imagine what the family must be going through.

Junaid Naseer Faroqui | 13 years ago | Reply Oh My God! I just came across the full video... I mean even if the ranger fired @ boy out of suspicion or may be out of frustration, they had full time to rush him to the nearest hospital. The boy was crying and calling for medical help while badly bleeding and these uniform licensed killers were strolling and seeing him die. Our Chief Justice has the time to take suo moto action against Atiqa Odho but he has not moved an inch on this brutal daylight murder. Why is that? Who should I ask justice for?

Maher | 13 years ago | Reply no matter if the guy is guilty, rangers could have shot him in his legs and not to kill the person like this... a common sense...

salman | 13 years ago | Reply please Allah rest in peace him Ameen,,

Mark | 13 years ago | Reply If they do that in public, I'd hate to imagine what they do when nobody is looking.

Omar | 13 years ago | Reply First they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist. Then they came for the communists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist. Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for me

Sanam | 13 years ago | Reply This one at least got exposed. How much more brutal they must be.

Saleem Khan | 13 years ago | Reply Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani took notice of the killing on Thursday, and ordered an inquiry into the matter....THIS IS SIMPLY STATEMENT AND NOTHING IS GONA HAPPEN EVER IN THIS COUNTRY FOR THE RIGHTS OF PEOPLE. IT IS SUCH DISGUSTING THAT POLICE, ARMY, RANGERS STARTED KILLING INNOCENT PEOPLE OF ROADS. INQUIRY, INQUIRY, INQUIRY...this simply means...MITTI PAOOOO! What is result of killing 2 young brothers by Police in Sialkot...Same kind of justice will be given to family of this guy. I am literally screaming with pain what is happening in Country. For every issue, Government, Ministers, Military, Rangers, Politicians have EXCUSE AND ARGUMENT. Things are not moving at all. Rather getting worse. Who will take poor people out of these pains...I think only DEATH. Sorry for harsh comments but seriously there is not even an effort from Govt to make things right. Only compromises and compromises for keeping seats and doing corruption.

Bilal Raza Qadri | 13 years ago | Reply Pak Rangers Ko Salam

TightDhoti | 13 years ago | Reply So if this can happen in Karachi, why does no one believe the videos of soldiers lining up and shooting people in Swat and FATA? Why are those conspiracies?

jamil moiz | 13 years ago | Reply " A toy gun was found" . so ,this was no innocent boy of matric.He intended to loot people by showing them a fake gun to silence them because the public doesn't know in a moment of panic what is real and what is fake,so this boy was no saint but our media is trying to paint this incident as if a pure saint was killed by the rangers. why did this boy run towards the rangers when they told him to get in the van? he should have followed orders,if you dont surrender but instead run towards the law enforcers then obviously they have every right to open fire for they don't know whether the person running towards them is coming to kill them or what.

aamir shahid | 13 years ago | Reply all sympathies with the family of the deceased. but one must keep in mind that instead of raising hands up in surrender the student argued with the rangers,lunged at them when they had the guns in their hands.it is the practice all over the world that police officials open fire if a suspect starts to approach them and doesn't lie down on the ground quietly.how were the rangers to know that sarfaraz wasn't a terrorist. a lot of suicide bombers are young boys and their tareeka-i-wardaat is that they come near the checkpost of lawenforcement and blow themselves up so these rangers also opened fire when he came near them. the way the media is raising hue and cry will only lead to a situation where the rangers will never open fire on anyone no matter if they are burning cars or shops or looting people because the rangers or police will say if we open fire the media goes after our lives like we are criminals . Then our media will scream why didn't police or rangers open fire.

imme | 13 years ago | Reply its true that we as a society have turned into monsters .. even i he was a robber then hes shouldn't have been killed like this .. time to think where we are heading as a nation with all apparatuses getting rotten ..

Fahad Raza | 13 years ago | Reply Ranger and ALL Paramilitary forces must be withdrawn from all metropolitan cites and sent to where they are needed. FATA and WAZIRISTAN.

Dajjal | 13 years ago | Reply I think its only appropriate that this Park's name be changed to the "Shaheed Sarfaraz Shah Park".

Yousaf | 13 years ago | Reply Is this country or what? Pakistan has lost everything.. values, traditions, love, respect, affection, pain, joy, happiness...... life.

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