Karachi unrest case: SC displeased with Sindh government report
The hearing pertains to a verdict given by the Supreme Court last year after it took suo motu notice of the unrest in Karachi.
The AG Sindh said that Karachi was a huge city where people come from all over the country, including criminals who sneak in. That is why it was hard to control them, he said.
The bench was displeased at the AG’s stance on the matter and asked whose responsibility it was to control this.
Malik admitted that it was the law enforcement agencies’ and government’s responsibility, but blamed a lack of resources for their failure to implement the court’s order.
The judges said that high ranking officials, instead of roaming around with a squad, should let the policemen do their jobs.
Justice Gulzar Ahmed said the IG Sindh should patrol the city four times a day and roam around alone, and asked how citizens would be provided protection if the IG himself roamed around the city with a squad of police out of fear. He said that if the IG was afraid, he should leave his post.
The judges further said that the police are meant for serving the citizens, not officials.
Justice Sarmad Jalal Usmani said that policemen who are part of officials' squads go around the city acting with disorderly conduct. He said that they had tried to damage his car yesterday.
Additional Home Secretary Waseem Ahmed accused courts of letting criminals walk free. He said that they had apprehended more than 8000 people for illegal possession of arms but courts had let most of the go.
Justice Khilji Arif Hussain said that governments do not legislate for punishing criminals.
The court expressed displeasure at blockades set around the city and ordered for them to be removed, including the ones set on the road outside Bilawal House.
When Justice Amir Hani Muslim inquired where the chief secretary was, the court was informed that he was in Islamabad but nobody could say why.
Fattah Malik informed the bench that more than 1,800 people have been killed in the city between January 1 and October 20, but failed to inform of measures taken to curb these killings.
The AG Sindh informed the court of reasons why they were unable to do so, but failed to provide any satisfying answers on the implementation of the court’s order.
The hearing was adjourned till Wednesday (tomorrow).
COMMENTS (13)
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Ethnic cards (Sindh card+Mohajir card+Pakhtoon card) coalition partners are playing havoc with the poor city. The parties bearing such cards should be banned to bring peace.
Its nice to see productive debate, its beginning of change.
@Liberal: Yeh ! we feel that way, because we are used to compliant judiciary as in the past & now it is the only institution which seem to be working....
I agree with one of the commentators that all these judges should volunteerily give up the security details as suggested by them in this case.
as far as Arsalan case is concerned, the case is under Dr Suddle investigation, which was changed from JIT as per the report of interior ministry who cited biasness on JIT ( & JIT was formed by NAB in consultation with AG - remember ! ).Now those officers of interior ministry have been transferred to Quetta including officers of FIA cyber wing whom Dr Suddle had requested for assistance beside other hurdles put up in Dr Suddle`s way including refusal by Mr Riaz Malik not to co-operate with Dr Suddle. So how do you think this case will move further ?
In such a situation, the judiciary will be forced to decide case exparte...then people will complain that the order party was not given a fair chance ?
So, what I have personally came to conclusion after observing people who leaves no stone unturned in bashing " judiciary " whether CJ is one of the member of the bench or not - is to disband this institution " judiciary " & appoint people as law officers under Parliamentary committee on law & justice & rule the way we want it to be , because the present judiciary will not change as it has created a precedence of adhering to the principle of equality & the rule of law
I am sure if you were in CJ`s place, you would be in very similar position, may be worse....
@Ishrat - Judges of the High / Supreme Courts are employees of the government. How are they any different from Secretaries in the Provincial / Federal Government. The judges display arrogance and above-the-law attitude like any other government employee. The judges have family members in other branches of the government where ethics is not considered a virtue. They are lawyers who opted to sit on the bench rather than practice law. Normally good lawyers prefer their own practice. Their intentions become suspect when they use the power of suo moto in an arbitrary fashion. Justice Azmat Saeed during his tenure as the CJ of LHC clarified that the High Courts were not allowed by the constitution to take suo moto notice (only the CJP has the authority). The CJs of the High Court continue to go against the constitution. The judges who were running berserk to send the elected government packing (government which refused to reinstate them) are now dragging their feet to hold Malik Riaz in contempt or allow the government to proceed against Irslan Iftikhar. Some justice.
I am sure the Honourable Justice Gulzar is also in favour of having the court sanctioned police guards at his home removed and is also dead set against the "police squads" and dozens of mobiles deputed to guard the CJ when he travels.
@HA:
1) SC will take notice when people will approach the judiciary, situation like Aug 2011
2) SC will take notice when 12,000 people ( an average of 1200 lives - is this a joke ) lost their lives between Jan 12 to Oct 2012, as submitted by the AG Sindh in Court today...
SC will take notice as per constitution wherein it is made clear that the responsibility of protecting the lives & property is the responsibility of the govt which has failed.
You can say whatever you like because you seem to be from an elite class who has private security all around the family, home & office etc;
Soon people like you will be targetted as people will become so sick & that is what situation SC is trying to avoid...
How come PPP led Sindh Govt.is not implementing recommendations of SC on the Karachi situation whereas PPP led Fed. Govt. is impatient to implement SC verdict in Asghar Khan case?
up to all the commentators decision. the SC is doing what it can. If you are complaining of non implementation of decision, stand by the SC. The public has a role to play too.
The court is once again out of line. The judges have no business to take notice of a situation and then pass comments on the performance of the elected government. The oft repeated comment by the judges that the police should be used to protect people and not the officials also applies to them. Similarly the courts are meant to provide justice to people and not to hound the government they don’t like. Each judge will have one vote in the next elections like any citizen. That is where the past performance of the government will be assessed and not in the courts. The courts should focus on the huge back log of cases of ordinary citizens pending before them instead of wasting time telling the police how to do their job.
Displeased..............in real terms what does that mean ?
What else SC can do ? they can give their recommendations only, but its implementation is the responsibility of the govt not SC.....the govt has failed in Karachi & Baluchistan, yet they claim " all is well ".....yet the people will elect the same bunch next year.....