Dismal police performance contributing to growing sense of insecurity: CJP

Police report says four of the nine bullets were fired from an unlicensed pistol.

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan IftikharMuhammad Chaudhry on Thursday observed that the lingering sense of insecurity across the country was linked with sluggish conduct of the police force.

“A criminal commits crime with impunity and nobody hopes of getting any fair investigation from police,” he added as he reprimanded Karachi’s police officials. The officers were appearing before the court in the suo motu case over the murder of Shahzeb Khan.

The Chief Justice expressing his displeasure with DIG Shahid Hayat's stance over non-production of the case file said that they would not allow them an easy walkover. "It is an attempt to hush up the matter. Who has given authority to police to seek a medical report from its own surgeon?"

The CJP told the DIG that mere shuffling between Karachi and Islamabad was not sufficient.  "The whole nation is looking at this case as a test case but you people have no realisation of your duties. It appears that Karachi lacks services of an experienced investigation officer."

Further reminding the DIG about his duties, the CJ advised that in high profile cases, they would have to keep a balance as investigation officers.

The DIG had said that the investigation file had been submitted with the trial court. The CJ though pointed out that when his investigation officer went to retrieve medical report from the surgeon, it meant that it was done with his connivance. "It is like putting a crack in the wall so that the whole edifice is brought down."

Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry also asked whether the IGP had stopped the DIG from investigating to which DIG Hayat replied in the negative. The CJ then told him that he should realise the consequences of such negligence. "Go and take action which will also give a message above board and if you people have to commit dishonesty, then close down all the cases."

Earlier, Express News reported that two bullets had struck Shahzeb while four of the nine bullets were fired from an unlicensed pistol, a police report said. The report added that the car used in the incident also belonged to the prime suspect Shahrukh Jatoi’s brother.

A police investigative officer told the court that Shahrukh’s second medical report, his Aitchison college documents and birth certificate confirmed that he is 18 years old.

Raja Ibrahim Satti, counsel for Shahrukh Jatoi, the main accused in the case, appeared and said that his client was being pushed towards the gallows and that the police investigation report was to prejudice judicial proceedings against his client.

The CJ said that if he wanted his client's acquittal, the police was already doing it and told him that they would hear him at the next hearing.

Director Legal FIA Azam Khan appeared before the court and apprised the bench that despite their request neither CCTV footage nor details about the officers, who could be involved in providing a safe passage to the accused at Karachi airport, had been provided.

Justice Sh Azmat Saeed told him that he should not show such helplessness as it would not infuse confidence in law enforcement agencies. "When you are helpless, the whole state becomes helpless. Such a sense of helplessness cannot be even detected even in an African country."

The FIA official said that two cases have been registered against Sohail, an employee of the travelling company, and Talah Hassan, who allegedly issued a fake boarding pass to Shahrukh Jatoi. However, the official admitted that some officials in FIA, ASF or Customs could also be involved in providing the accused a safe leeway at the airport.

The bench, while adjourning the case till Friday, ordered the FIA director Karachi along with his investigation officer to appear at the next hearing with all the relevant records of the case.

The DIG Karachi was ordered to come up with the case file.