Preventing ‘extra-judicial’ killings: SHC wants operation to have viable mechanism

AG promises to submit report by July 14.

KARACHI:
The Sindh High Court (SHC) directed the top provincial law officer on Thursday to submit a report suggesting a viable mechanism for the targeted operation in Karachi.

This viable mechanism must be acceptable to all and must prevent ‘extra-judicial’ killings, said the court order. A division bench, headed by Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, gave one week to the advocate-general (AG) to file this report, after the AG failed to furnish one despite earlier directives.

The two judges were hearing the cases of missing persons, who were allegedly detained by the law enforcers during the targeted operation in Karachi, and their bodies were later found dumped.

Petitioner Syed Qamar Abbas Rizvi alleged that his relative, Syed Yawar Abbas Rizvi, was taken into custody by the law enforcers from PIB Colony. Sumera Yousuf submitted that her 24-year-old son Ali Haider was taken away by the law enforcers from Country Apartments on April 13 along with his two friends. Their bodies were later found dumped.


Meanwhile, petitioner Naseem Begum said her son, Abdul Jabbar, was detained from his shop on February 7 and they also found his body later. Najma Khatoon said her nephew, Shamshad Haider, was taken into custody from Orangi Town on January 6 and his body was recovered later. The petitioners had accused the police and Rangers of detaining and torturing their relatives to death.

During Thursday’s hearing, the two judges pointed out that a division bench, headed by the chief justice, had directed the Sindh AG on May 29 to take up the matter with the chief minister, the home secretary, the Sindh IGP, the Rangers DG and all other relevant officials so that a viable mechanism may be devised to discover the truth and to put into affect measures to prevent such killings.

AG Abdul Fateh Malik said that the Supreme Court had already taken up the case of law and order in Karachi and that he regularly submits reports to the apex court. He requested the court grant him time to furnish a comprehensive report in compliance with the May 29 order. Allowing the request, the bench directed him to furnish the report on July 14.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 4th, 2014.
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