Pakistan

Defence counsel says Rangers cannot be called terrorists

ATC reserves judgement on Rangers request to transfer case to civil court.

Express July 01, 2011

An anti-terrorism court in Karachi on Friday reserved its decision regarding the request made by the Rangers officials to transfer their case to a civil court.

During today's hearing of the murder case, the lawyer representing the rangers personnel said the rangers were only performing their duty and they could not be called terrorists. Lawyer Shaukat Hayat said the plaintiff and witnesses have not mentioned any terrorist activity in their statements.

Hayat also added that the cameraman who filmed the incident did not mention terrorist activity either.

The Rangers, who are accused of killing Sarfaraz Shah, an innocent boy in Karachi, have been charged under the terrorism act and are facing a trial in an Anti-Terrorism Court.

Prosecutor Mohammad Khan said it had been an individual act of the Rangers and they are responsible for the murder.

The court will give its decision on the request on Saturday.

Nineteen-year-old Sarfaraz Shah was shot by Rangers in the Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Park on June 8. The incident was caught on videotape and broadcast on television channels nationwide.

COMMENTS (12)

Ali | 13 years ago | Reply What is a terrorist? It's usually understood as a person(s) that terrorize a certain population. While the rangers involved in the unfortunate incident can't be regarded as the same type of terrorists as the extremist groups, their actions against a young man part of the Pakistani population was a clear act of terror in every sense of the word. Thus, though the rangers are our protectors, this certain group that committed this heinous crime and murdered Sarfaraz Shah are definitely terrorists.

Fahad Raza | 13 years ago | Reply What do we call those who take the law in their own hands and kill a person without any proof ..?? Murderers.... in both cases of Kharotabad and Karachi.

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Asghar Khan | 13 years ago | Reply Yeah, cover their faces as if we have not seen that before? and why is the guy on the left smiling about, happy to be on camera, wanna kill people? I know what will happen! What ever happened to those people who killed two teenagers in sialkot - everyone will forget and move on even US! Kill or be killed!

Ahmer Ali | 13 years ago | Reply Assalam-o-Allaikum Warahmatullah.If killings of innocent people is allowed by the law enforcement agencies in Pakistan and innocent people's killers law enforcement agencies persons can't be called terrorists then Alqaeda/Taliban also can never be called terrorists.

Mark | 13 years ago | Reply You'd think the label they'd be most concerned with is "guilty." After all, if they get rid of that one "terrorist" goes away along with it. But, it matters very little. If people can't get convicted off the current evidence against them, nobody can.

Numair | 13 years ago | Reply What Rangers had done in Benazir Park was their duty? Shame on you Mr. Shaukat Hayat by giving such statements. Their duty was to protect the public but not to kill. If this happened with yourself or any of your relative then I ask from you whether Rangers man performing their duty or doing perform terrorists activity?

tariq | 13 years ago | Reply watch online full footage of ranger killed serfraz shah killed Ranger killed a young man in Karachi

Mohammad Ali Siddiqui | 13 years ago | Reply Any one who kills a person without any legal authority is called a terrorist. Rangers have killed a innocent youth. How does the defence lawyer will defend that Rangers are not terrorists?

mohammad iqbalammad | 13 years ago | Reply khoratabad and benazir park. In both places, the culprits will go scot free. Now it is very difficult to differentiate between law enforcing forces and occupied forces. Pakistan is now under the influence of occupied forces

amitabh bachan LOGIC MARLON BRANDO BRUCE LEE SHERLOCK HOLMES TZU | 13 years ago | Reply Sarfaraz Shah was shocking this rangers are beasts . not all rangers are bad but these rangers behaved like talibans monsters which dont have human felling what wrong boy done he was without anything , in young age people go wrong not means to kill him

SK | 13 years ago | Reply Define the term "terrorism" so we understand why they should be dealt exceptionally and can't be called terrorists, until then they are terrorists as they killed an unarmed man at their own whim- actually they are worse than a normal terrorist because they are supposedly there to protect that very man who they killed

Fauzan Sohail | 13 years ago | Reply Terrorists or no terrorists... they should be held responsible for the crime comitted and serve punishment due on them.

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