Pakistan

Extrajudicial killing: Court gives accused one day to arrange lawyers

ATC says it would assign legal aid itself if deadline not met.

Afp/express June 23, 2011

A Karachi Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Thursday gave the seven accused in the Sarfaraz Shah murder case one more day to arrange lawyers to represent them.

This was the second time this week that the indictment had been delayed to allow the soldiers more time to engage lawyers.

The accused, including six rangers and one civilian, were produced before the court on Thursday where the judge directed the accused to arrange for lawyers. The court warned the accused that if they did not arrange for the lawyers, the court would arrange some lawyers itself.

It was expected that during Thursday’s hearing, charges would be framed against the accused. However, the case was adjourned till Friday when the accused requested more time to arrange for the lawyers. The court has given the accused a one day deadline to arrange for the lawyers.

Earlier, during Wednesday’s proceedings, copy of the Sarfaraz Shah murder case was filed in court. The accused were also given copies of the case, including statements made by the prosecution witnesses, during the proceedings on Wednesday. Inspector Bahaur Rahman, who is the most senior among the six accused, had asked the judge for an adjournment saying that their families were out of time and they needed time to engage lawyers. The judge had at first refused giving an adjournment saying that the Supreme Court had ordered a day-to-day trial.

The Anti-Terrorism Court started the proceedings in the Sarfaraz Shah murder case on Tuesday after receiving the case files from the registrar.

Members of Pakistan's Rangers paramilitary shot dead Sarfaraz Shah, 22, in Karachi on June 8 after he was accused of robbery, but his family has demanded justice, insisting he was an innocent student.

The daylight murder was filmed live by a local cameraman and subsequently broadcast round the clock on national television channels, the brutality of trained security officers in uniform shocking the country.

The six soldiers and a civilian, who accused Shah of robbery, were produced before judge Bashir Ahmed Khoso on Thursday, public prosecutor Mohammad Khan Buriro told reporters.

"The court gave the accused a last chance" to hire lawyers and adjourned the proceedings until Friday, he said. If they do not find lawyers, the court will assign them legal aid, he quoted the judge as telling the accused.

The indictment was previously adjourned on Wednesday for the same reason.

Faced with a media tirade over the killing, the government took the rare step of removing the chiefs of police and Rangers in Sindh province, of which Karachi is the capital.

COMMENTS (12)

Dhaaga | 13 years ago | Reply so now you're saying that the rangers were at fault. what you pointed out is one problem. the other problem with most of us is that if any offender is being punished, we bring in past offenders who escaped the long arm of the law and criticize the judiciary there. why cant we support the system when something right is being done. positive reinforcement.

Nadeem Ahmed | 13 years ago | Reply @ Dhaaga, This is the problem with us, after some knee jerk reaction we forget all unfortunate inicidents. I can bet that court will give these poor soldiers very stiff punishment to cool down national emotions but after some time the victim's family will be paid Diyat and all alleged offenders will be set free. Is anyone going to learn any lesson from this inicident, I don't think so. Nobody will see that not only these rangers, other authorities including ranger commanders, GHQ, supreme court, high court Sindh, Supreme Court, ATC , prosecuters, Media and Federal Government all have violated laws and consitution, but who cares?

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ali raza | 13 years ago | Reply surrender means that you should hold ur hand up . not to play with police person. even in Europe if the person did like this police will do their act.

shenwary | 13 years ago | Reply i feel shame on our media, along with government and politics are responsible for the current situation . who know who is gona suicide. still if the same video is presented in court and following rules and regulation of security solders did their job well. and how can government will stop target killing in Karachi. clearly the person says that i was compelled to do. weather that was a toy or original gun but he was using that for terror. and clearly he was trying to snatch gun from Pak army . all know how much a gun value for a soldier or police. yes i accept that he must be given first Aid as soon as possible. but still looking to defense rules and regulation army did their job well.

Pan Mat | 13 years ago | Reply @muhammad behzad: Even if Sarfarz was a criminal, Rangers had no business dispensing justice on their own. The agenda here is "extrajudicial" killing of Sarfarz not the guilt or innocence of deceased.

Dhaaga | 13 years ago | Reply @Nadeem Ahmed shame on the soldiers for lacking basic sense of humanity and justice. Picture this: a teenager with a toy gun, on his knees is faced with six Rangers Personnel with loaded automatic machine guns, all pointed at him. I say the teenager is the one 'under tremendous stress in a very dangerous situation'.

MK | 13 years ago | Reply Ranger muqablas should be treated same as police muqablas. These guys should be made an example of. Guy was not reaching for the gun at the time he was shot. Even earlier in the video he touched the gun while pleading with both hands and did NOT clinch his fist, it looked more like pleading and defensive instincts. He perhaps knew that it is hard to shoot if you are really close. Point proven when the rangers guy got at a safe distance and shot him when he was unarmed and could easily have been arrested. In civilized countries they use stun guns to overpower someone if they are unable to arrest someone easily or think they can be a danger if got close to them, and law enforcement people are all trained in first aid as well. Those 6 JAWANS could have easily arrested him, and also could have provided him first aid to stop bleeding. Shooting was by any means was excessive force, and behavior after that was even worst. If he was a suspect of robbery he should have been arrested. Rangers were only arresting authority at that time, but they acted like Judge and Executioner as well. Last time I checked attempted robbery with Fake gun (assuming it was the case) does not require carrying a death sentence without trial. Military and Para military without proper training and equipment posted in civilian areas is a recipe for disaster, they are not meant for policing civilian areas.

Ijaz Mir | 13 years ago | Reply Media needs sensational news. The day there is no Bomb blast or target killing.They need some news otherwise no one will see their Channel. Media is responsible to breed crime. This lawlessness in Pakistan can only be controlled strict orders shoot to kill. If criminal are arrested Court let them go free because of poor case presentation.May be corruption ? When these goons stop you on the road you do not know the gun they are pointing at you is a toy gun or real gun. It is your life or hard earned money.

Wasil Arain | 13 years ago | Reply @muhammad behzad: I think a person lacking even an iota of human sesitivity can indulge in such a diatribe against the victim. Most of those who have watched the video will find your views as a defender of such a brutality abominable and disgusting.

Nadeem Ahmed | 13 years ago | Reply Is this the way to treat our brave soldiers? They are hand-cuffed and insulted in public. Shame on their commanders who handed over them to civilian jokers.These civilians have no clue how to judge soldier's actions under tremendous stress in a very dangerous situation. The guy tried to snatch gun from soldier and they retaliated in self defence. If they have done anything wrong, its because of the poor training and lack of resources.

Think | 13 years ago | Reply I think those who say that sarfaraz shah got what her deserved, are those who, if had been in the place of rangers, would have done the same act i.e killing him on the spot.

muhammad behzad | 13 years ago | Reply the boy tried to snatch their weapon and they opened fire which is what is done internationally also.this guy was no saint as the media keeps on propagating,he admitted on video that 'meri majboori thi' this is an excuse that all criminals give.this guy was a thief,that is why he was carrying around a fake gun with him to threaten his victims with. How many of us go around our everyday life carrying fake guns with us?? but our media got a chance to abuse our uniformed forces once again and they went for the jugular.it is time these mobile santchers faced consequences for their loot and plunder.

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