SHC tells cops to stop being rude on roads

Court also unhappy with security provided to judges

KARACHI:

The Sindh High Court (SHC) instructed the Sindh police chief to take action against police highhandedness with citizens while hearing a petition of Leader of the Opposition in the Sindh Assembly Haleem Adil Sheikh.

A two-member bench headed by Justice Muhammad Iqbal Kalhoro heard the case related to the provision of security to Sheikh as opposition leader.

During the hearing, Justice Kalhoro observed that police and private guards misbehave with citizens on the roads. Is this a security state or a welfare state, the jurist remarked.

Justice Kalhoro verbally instructed the IGP to conduct an awareness campaign and adopt measures to bring an end to this culture. Karachi is notorious for menacing guards or policemen sitting in the backseat of a vehicle flinging their weapons asking drivers to either make way or steer clear.

Justice Kalhoro, in a conversation with SSP Security, said that the squad accompanying police officers also misbehaved with citizens. Civilians are rudely ordered to move aside, he remarked.

He then added that the security provided to judges was inadequate, remarking that some of those don't even know how to use a gun. The court remarked that the policemen provided to judges for security were often those nearing retirement.

All the commandos are in the squad of police officers, Justice Kalhoro remarked.

He observed that landlords (waderas) had private security, who also made gestures like policemen. Who will stop all these actions, he inquired.

Opposition leader

While hearing about Sheikh's counsel about his concerns over security, the judge remarked that he could afford to hire guards.

The lawyer argued that security was the right of the opposition leader in law. He added that 31 cases were registered against his client.

Justice Kalhoro told the lawyer not to waste the court's time with such details and tell it what the law states on the issue.

The SSP told the court that there was shortage of police personnel and they could not provide security to Sheikh, who is a member of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.

The court told the two parties to find a solution while hiring private guards in the interim. Shaikh told the court that the rules of the Sindh Assembly have a provision on security. The court instructed Shaikh's lawyers to provide details while adjourning the hearing till March 30.

The application states that opposition leader is the most important position after that of chief minister. It contends that Shaikh has not been provided adequate security. It adds that Shaikh's life in danger while seeking increasing security.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 25^th, 2023.