Wrong side of law: Police restrained from harassing deceased MQM worker’s family
MQM worker, Suleman, was allegedly abducted and killed by law enforcers.
The petitioner alleged respondents were harassing family members of the deceased to pressurise them into not registering the case. PHOTO: MOHAMMAD NOMAN/EXPRESS
KARACHI:
The Sindh High Court (SHC) directed on Wednesday the police authorities to refrain from harassing or intimidating the widow and other family members of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement worker, who was allegedly killed in an extrajudicial manner by the police.
SHC Chief Justice Maqbool Baqar, who headed the bench, also issued notices to the interior secretary, provincial home secretary, the provincial chiefs of police and Rangers, Karachi police chief, AIG Shahid Hayat, head of the police’s Special Investigation Unit (Anti-Terrorism Cell), Crime Investigation Department, SSP East Pir Bux and the station house officers of the Shah Faisal, Korangi Industrial Area, Zaman Town and Shah Latif police stations.
Asif Hasnain, an MQM MNA who filed the petition, submitted that Muhammad Suleman alias Salman, who was an activist of his party, was going to office with his nephew, Noman, on a motorcycle when law enforcement personnel intercepted them near the Malir River on February 3.
The personnel blindfolded and drove Suleman to an unknown place but dropped Noman at the Native Jetty Bridge, who later narrated the whole incident to the victim’s family. The petitioner further informed the judges that the Korangi Industrial Area police station’s SHO had refused to entertain the application of the victim’s family when they had approached to register an FIR regarding his disappearance. Later, Suleman’s body was found from the Malir River and the Edhi volunteers had shifted it to the city morgue, the petitioner stated.
The deceased, a 33-year-old employee of the Civil Hospital Karachi, was not involved in any criminal activity, the MQM lawmaker maintained, alleging that the respondents were constantly harassing the widow and other family members of the deceased to pressurise them into not registering the case of Suleman’s murder.
He pleaded to the court to direct the respondents to provide shelter to the victim’s family, who were being threatened by the police and Rangers. He also urged the court to order the police officials to register an FIR of the MQM workers’ killing against Shah Faisal SHO inspector Faheem Farooqui, Karachi police chief AIG Shahid Hayat and SSP East Pir Bux. The bench issued notices to the federal and provincial authorities to file their comments by February 19. “The respondents shall not harass or intimidate the family of the deceased illegally or unlawfully,” CJ Baqar further ordered.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 13th, 2014.
The Sindh High Court (SHC) directed on Wednesday the police authorities to refrain from harassing or intimidating the widow and other family members of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement worker, who was allegedly killed in an extrajudicial manner by the police.
SHC Chief Justice Maqbool Baqar, who headed the bench, also issued notices to the interior secretary, provincial home secretary, the provincial chiefs of police and Rangers, Karachi police chief, AIG Shahid Hayat, head of the police’s Special Investigation Unit (Anti-Terrorism Cell), Crime Investigation Department, SSP East Pir Bux and the station house officers of the Shah Faisal, Korangi Industrial Area, Zaman Town and Shah Latif police stations.
Asif Hasnain, an MQM MNA who filed the petition, submitted that Muhammad Suleman alias Salman, who was an activist of his party, was going to office with his nephew, Noman, on a motorcycle when law enforcement personnel intercepted them near the Malir River on February 3.
The personnel blindfolded and drove Suleman to an unknown place but dropped Noman at the Native Jetty Bridge, who later narrated the whole incident to the victim’s family. The petitioner further informed the judges that the Korangi Industrial Area police station’s SHO had refused to entertain the application of the victim’s family when they had approached to register an FIR regarding his disappearance. Later, Suleman’s body was found from the Malir River and the Edhi volunteers had shifted it to the city morgue, the petitioner stated.
The deceased, a 33-year-old employee of the Civil Hospital Karachi, was not involved in any criminal activity, the MQM lawmaker maintained, alleging that the respondents were constantly harassing the widow and other family members of the deceased to pressurise them into not registering the case of Suleman’s murder.
He pleaded to the court to direct the respondents to provide shelter to the victim’s family, who were being threatened by the police and Rangers. He also urged the court to order the police officials to register an FIR of the MQM workers’ killing against Shah Faisal SHO inspector Faheem Farooqui, Karachi police chief AIG Shahid Hayat and SSP East Pir Bux. The bench issued notices to the federal and provincial authorities to file their comments by February 19. “The respondents shall not harass or intimidate the family of the deceased illegally or unlawfully,” CJ Baqar further ordered.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 13th, 2014.