No-go areas: SC urged to initiate contempt proceedings against govt officials

Afaq says his party isn’t free to carry out political activities.

KARACHI: The Supreme Court has been moved to initiate contempt proceedings against federal and government officials who failed to implement the apex court’s orders relating to law and order in Karachi.

Afaq Ahmed , chairman, Mohajir Qaumi Movement (MQM –Haqiqi) filed a contempt of court application before Karachi Registry of Supreme Court here on Thursday morning, claiming that alleged contemnors including federal interior secretary, chief secretary Sindh and additional chief secretary home department Sindh have failed in implementing orders of the apex court.

Referring to the orders passed by the five-member bench during suo motu proceedings in respect of law and order situation in Sindh in April last year, the applicant maintained that while acknowledging and allowing every political party right to political activities, the apex court had directed the Sindh authorities to end targeted killings, ending ‘no-go areas’ and arrest the terrorists.

These directives of the court were not implemented and thus contempt proceedings be initiated against the respondents, the applicant prayed to court in his application.

The application was accepted by the Deputy Registrar, Karachi Registry, and was sent to Islamabad, principal seat, for decision
by the Chief Justice of Pakistan.

Talks to media

Later talking to media, Afaq said that apex court had also ordered protection to the petitioner and his party workers for peaceful political activities but we are restrained from it.

He said that since his release, 17 persons including former MNA Aziz Memon were maltreated by the miscreants who lay a siege around his (Afaqs’) residence and have blocked even the supply of edibles inside.

No-go areas still exist and miscreants have established barricades, he said  adding that police and other law enforcing agencies are merely silent spectators despite specific orders of the highest court of the country, said Afaq.

To a question about governments’ strategy not to implement orders of the apex court, he said he has no other option but to pursue the legal remedy. “We do not want to tackle the things on our own and thus have to agitate the issue before the court,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 6^th, 2012.