Shahid Zafar shot Sarfaraz Shah at point blank range on June 8. PHOTO: AFP
KARACHI: Ten days shy of the two year anniversary of that fateful June evening in Karachi, when youngster Sarfraz Shah died of a bullet fired by a Rangers official, the court case came to a close as the petitioner, Saalik Shah, withdrew his application calling for a death sentence for the six accused, Express News reported.
A Sindh High Court two-member appellate bench presided over a hearing where the lawyers of the accused Rangers presented their case. Subsequently, one of the petitioners withdrew his application which requested the death penalty for the accused.
The Rangers are currently serving life terms for committing the extra-judicial murder of Sarfraz Shah, a 22 year old in Karachi on June 8, 2011. The petition had urged for them to be hanged.
The appellate bench stated their apprehensions at the withdrawal and termed it 'suspicious'.
Prosecutor Khadim Hussain is expected to present a statement when the hearing resumes on Thursday.
COMMENTS (13)
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@janaan: "The Rangers shot Shah without warning, and to cover their tracks filed what is known as a First Information Report. The report stated that the Rangers encountered Shah “committing dacoity”—stealing—“and possessing illicit arms without any license or authority.”
Did you read this report given in Dr X comment?
http://cpj.org/reports/2013/05/pakistan-roots-impunity-wali-khan-babar-geo.php
It’s not the matter of this particular Ranger gets Life or Death..! It is our national tragedy that judiciary system of ours is so compromised that it only punishes the weak and the poor and often looks reluctant to proceed against the rich and the powerful!! Awful ..
The deceased approached the barrel of the gun, any cop in the world would shoot him
shameful that punishment only for civilians but not for ruling army if disobey law.
This is not new. Civilians Pakistanis are slave to army. army does not obey law, even army included in 1973 constitution that supreme court of Pakistan has no authority on army. We have to struggle to liberate ourself from thses this new type of imperialism. army one hand covertly support US and other hand disguisedly oppose to deceive People of pakistan.
So the state apparatus has shown their power here too, how many of us believe that he has taken this decision on the name of God, very obvious to me he could not stand against pressure by Rangers & settled this matter out of court, shame for our justice system & shame of on law enforcement agencies
@ET
and my suspicion is that if his brother had not withdrew his application, he would have served with the same as of his demise brother.
@janaan: "the rangers were on duty for protecting lives of citizens of karachi.the shot in the leg was a reaction to late sarfraz approaching the barrel of gun of a security personnel"
He was just approaching the barrel of gun thinking he could save himself in that way. Every one in police and court system saw the VIDEO. It was a clear cut case of murder. If you think you are SMARTER then prosecutor and judge, you should go and protest outside the court.
And what about the say of the person who was murdered? Has it got any value or any of his kith and kin can just let murderers walk away by giving money...aka the recent American murderer in Lahore. So it seems that if you are wealthy and powerful, you can actually get away with murder, literally!! Where is the justice in all this?
Two things. One is that when you hold the gun or try to hold the gun of security personal. You are threatning their life and they can shoot you for that. Second if you go and check. Rangers had the authority to shoot at sight any robbers. This guy agreed that he was robbing, if anything challenge the goverment not the people who are doin the duty. If that person who got killed actually went and robbed someone and killed someone while robbying them then all these people were going to abuse rangers that they cannot protect. The reason there is no peace is karachi is because the rangers are not given the authority to do anything. So reap what you sow.
How shameful; this is the rule of law in Pakistan and the court and justice system of Pakistan.
i am surprised by the news. extra judicial murder.this is preposterous.
the rangers were on duty for protecting lives of citizens of karachi.the shot in the leg was a reaction to late sarfraz approaching the barrel of gun of a security personnel.no one does that. you follow the instructions of security people, not challenge them.
sarfarz died of blood drain. thie only crime of rangers for not providing ambulance in time.
So much injustice has been done just to protect these trigger-happy Rangers.
The two original prosecutors for the case were forced to flee to the US due to threats from the army. Read the full story here (2nd half): http://cpj.org/reports/2013/05/pakistan-roots-impunity-wali-khan-babar-geo.php