Residents gather in front of a damaged building after a bomb blast in a residential area, a day earlier, in Karachi March 4, 2013. PHOTO: REUTERS
The court, while hearing a suo moto case on the twin blasts in Abbas Town, ordered the suspension of Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Malir Rao Anwar and maintained that all officers, including the IG Sindh, would have resigned from their posts if they had any shame.
During the hearing at Supreme Court's Karachi registry, Director General of Sindh Rangers, Major General Rizwan Akhtar, appeared before the bench after being summoned.
The bench maintained that the Rangers officials were equally responsible for providing security to the people.
After the Supreme Court hearing, the home ministry transferred the IG Sindh and the DIG East to the central government. Sources said both the officers vacated their posts.
Previously, the apex court had issued notices to the IG Sindh and advocate general, summoning them to give details on the progress made in the case.
Chief Justice Chaudhry, heading a three-member bench, said that the court has proof that the police reached four hours late at the site of the twin blasts.
"We'll not allow anyone to enjoy public office at the cost of public taxes and do nothing to safeguard their lives and properties," the chief justice said.
"Those who died in the blast and others who are continuously being targeted in other terrorist acts are not foreigners. They are our own blood, they pay taxes for our salaries."
The advocate general of Sindh submitted a report in the court seeking more time for investigation, but the court rejected the request saying that the law does not wait for anyone. The court said that it will give all important orders in the case today.
Anwer Mansoor Khan said a number of junior police officials had also been removed from their posts and an inquiry would decide whether any were guilty of negligence.
The apex court also ordered the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Military Intelligence (MI), and Intelligence Bureau (IB) to submit reports about the Abbas Town incident, particularly pointing out as to whether intelligence about the blast was shared with law-enforcement agencies.
The verdict in the Abbas Town suo moto case will be announced on March 8 (Friday), Express News reported.
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