Instead of compensating families of the victims of target killings, it would be better if the government could protect the citizens.
“We will be happy if you can keep the people alive instead of giving compensation [to their heirs],” remarked the judges, as the apex court resumed the hearing of the suo motu case on Karachi violence.
The home department’s additional chief secretary, Waseem Ahmed, had told the court that the government had invited families of 76 people, who fell prey to target killers during the past one year, to collect the compensation money.
Killing of trader
The judges also castigated the Sindh IGP Fayyaz Leghari for denying the killing of a sacrificial animal trader by extortionists in a statement given to the media.
When the police chief insisted that no such incident had taken place in the city, Justice Amir Hani Muslim waved clippings of some newspapers, saying: “I can produce the statement of the injured [man] and the SHO and the SP concerned.”
The judges added that, “once you make a statement in media, it has to be a responsible one”.
As the bench warned of ordering an inquiry to clear the facts, Karachi police chief Iqbal Mehmod intervened to save his boss. “Twelve armed motorcyclists had shot at some people sitting at the Bismillah hotel in Lyari. One man, who was injured in the incident, later expired,” he admitted.
The victim was reportedly an animal trader and was killed over not paying the extortion money.
To a question regarding action taken against the attackers, Mehmood said a police party chased the suspects who escaped in the narrow lanes. The police officer also admitted that there was no entry of the incident in police records, which the bench observed was necessary.
The SP of the area also confirmed receiving a phone call about the incident.
Even the sacrificial animals market was not set up in Joria Bazaar this year as the traders were asked to pay extortion, the judges observed. “Every second trader is crying out for security and pulls down shutters every fourth day in protest but the police and Rangers claim everyone is safe. The businessmen are moving to Bangladesh due to security concerns and many people are losing their livelihood,” observed Justice Khilji Arif Hussain.
Compensation for policemen killed in 1990s operation
Sindh Police IG Fayyaz Leghari assured the court that compensation cases of seven deceased policemen, who took part in 1992 and 1996 operations, would be reconsidered by his department.
He said that the Sindh prisons department and Intelligence Bureau had also asked for compensation to heirs of two cops from their departments. The SC bench suggested that police department should consider the seven cases on humanitarian grounds and ensure compensation payment from its own funds. IG was ordered to finalise the cases as soon as possible.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 1st, 2012.
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