SC orders Sindh govt to produce evidence against cop forced to retire

According to JIT report, former inspector assisted MQM's target killers

KARACHI: The Supreme Court (SC) ordered the provincial government on Thursday to provide the court with a police officer's criminal record, including proof of his involvement in incidents of targeted killings, smuggling and robbery as well as assisting the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), at the next hearing.

A three-member bench comprising Justice Maqbool Baqar, Justice Faisal Arab and Justice Syed Sajjad Ali Shah was hearing the plea filed by former inspector Syed Naveed Nasir against his forced retirement at the SC's Karachi Registry.

The court remarked that the police inspector has been accused of killing a worker of the opposition's political party, smuggling and assisting in a robbery. The court added that while the accusations were noteworthy, where was the evidence that proved these crimes.

Justice Baqar remarked, "This is the highest court of the country and we don't make any decision without evidence nor do we tolerate it. Sindh government should produce concrete evidence against the petitioner".

The court observed that wanted robbers and criminals were moving freely in the city. Sindh Additional Advocate-General Sarwar Khan argued that action has been taken against Nasir based on his criminal record. According to a joint investigation team (JIT) report, Nasir assisted MQM's target killers and is also accused of providing assistance in a bank robbery. He was forced to take retirement when the allegations against him were proved right, Khan added.

The court ordered the Sindh government to produce all the evidence at the next hearing and remarked that it would take a decision after examining the evidence.

Case concludes

The same bench also heard the bail plea by Rauf Ahmed Rufi, accused in a case pertaining to failure to hand over ownership rights even after bookings of plots.

The counsel for the accused took the plea back and argued that his client's plea bargain request had been accepted. The court concluded the bail plea at the counsel's request.

Bail granted

The SC granted bail to the director of private advertising agency, Salman Mansoor, who is co-accused with former provincial minister Sharjeel Inam Memon in a Rs5.76 billion corruption reference in Sindh's information department.

An SC bench heard the bail plea of two co-accused, Mansoor and Sayed Naveed, and granted bail to Mansoor against a surety of Rs57.4 million. The reference against the accused is under way at an accountability court.

*With additional reporting from PPI 

Published in The Express Tribune, June 21^st, 2019.