Precautionary measures: Despite CM’s word, bulletproof vehicles for judges remains an elusive dream

The decision came in the aftermath of the attack on Justice Maqbool Baqar on June 26.

KARACHI:

The failure of the government to protect the lives of citizens is no secret with the average daily death toll due to target killings alone standing at eight persons in Karachi. However, its promises to protect those striving to deliver justice to the people — the judges — also seem elusive.

As a goodwill gesture, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah gave his own bomb-proof vehicle to the Sindh High Court Chief Justice Maqbool Baqar recently. But, the government’s tall claim to provide the same kind of vehicles to all judges of the high court remains unmet, The Express Tribune has learnt.

The matter of judges’ security came to the limelight after the convoy of Justice Baqar came under attack on June 26, resulting in the death of nine people, mostly guards, and causing injuries to around 20 others. The then provincial chief justice, Mushir Alam, had taken up the matter of the judges’ security with the provincial government and asked them to ensure foolproof security arrangements.



During a series of follow-up meetings, the chief secretary had assured that the government would provide two bulletproof vehicles to the judges. Later, the CM announced in the media that all high court judges would be provided with bulletproof vehicles as the security agencies had detected threats to other judges too.

The CM’s announcement to provide this facility to the rest of the judges remains an elusive dream, officials told The Express Tribune. Sources said the government was aware of the threats with respect to the security of the judges. “Currently, half of the judges have no mobile police escorts,” an official said. “The high court has asked the government to provide mobile police escorts with trained guards but nothing has been done as yet,” added the official, claiming that the request was made last year.

The Pakistan Peoples Party-led government had on different occasions said that it respected the judiciary and was extending all-out support to the institution.

“This June’s attack on the convoy of the senior judge set alarm bells ringing as many feared that other judges would be targeted in the same manner,” said a senior official in the high court.

He was of the view that despite a passage of more than three months, there seems to be no progress in the judges’ protection, except the tightening of security at the high court’s building.

The Sindh High Court Bar Association had also been voicing its concerns. “The targeted killing of Advocate Naimat Ali Randhawa has exposed the failure of the government and the incompetency of the law enforcers,” remarked its president Mustafa Lakhani.

To ensure the protection of lives and properties of every citizen is the constitutional duty of the state, he said, adding that the state must discharge its duties, as it is the citizens’ ballot that brings these politicians into the corridors of power.

Advocate General Khalid Jawed Khan, who had been discussing the issue with the provincial bureaucratic hierarchy, seemed optimistic. Khan said a summary was also forwarded to the CM seeking approval for the procurement of at least two bulletproof vehicles for the judges. “A summary has been sent to the CM’s office after technical evaluation,” he said, hoping that the provincial chief executive will give his consent soon.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 19^th, 2013.