One question from judge decimates long-winded police report

Have you seen any decline in crime, asks Justice Khilji.

KARACHI:

“Have you seen any decline in crime,” came the question from Justice Khilji Arif Hussain. It was as if he said what was on the minds of every resident of Karachi.

The police chief had just finished giving the court a long-winded report of the “special measures” that they had adopted three months ago in a bid to control crime in Karachi.

For independent investigations, the investigation branch was re-established by appointing SPs to separately look into important cases. Two SPs each were appointed in the three zones of the city.

This programme was being expanded to the rest of the province, while the regular investigation branch was dealing with “routine” cases.

He went on to state the well-worn facts on the Special Investigation Unit, the Anti-Violent Crime Cell, the Citizens-Police Liaison Committee, the Anti-Car Lifting Cell.

The IG claimed that the Crime Investigation Department  - specially tasked with terrorism - had made some good catches, as 43 members of the proscribed Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan had been arrested this year.

Justice Sarmad Jalal Osmany asked AG Abdul Fattah Malik why there was a delay in legislation to enhance punishment for possession of illegal arms. “Why is this being asked for this province and not for the whole of Pakistan,” questioned AG Malik. The bench said every province was supposed to make a law to cater to its needs.

Judicial inquiries since the 1980s missing

The court expressed its deep concern over the lack of a record of judicial inquiries into the law and order situation in Karachi since the 1980s with the provincial home department. It also turned down a report submitted by Additional Chief Secretary for the Home department, Waseem Ahmed, stating that 15 judicial inquiries had so far been conducted since the 1980s. He conceded that no more reports were available on the home department’s records as the oldest report dated to 1997. Justice Jamali said it was strange that an official record was not maintained and files were misplaced. “They are a part of our history. You have to have kept them in the archives,” added Justice Gulzar Ahmed.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 26^th, 2012.