Rangers seek transfer of 50 cases from Karachi to other parts of Sindh

Sources say Rangers have requested CJ Maqbool Baqar for the transfer in a letter

KARACHI: The Sindh Rangers have requested Sindh High Court Chief Justice (CJ) Maqbool Baqar to transfer trials of another 50 terrorism-related cases from the sessions and anti-terrorism courts of Karachi to other cities in the province, The Express Tribune learnt on Friday.

Sources said the request was made in a letter sent by the Rangers director-general to the chief justice.

According to the Rangers, some dangerous criminals involved in heinous crimes, such as target killings, extortion and explosions, are being tried before the special anti-terrorism courts and some sessions courts in Karachi. Officials seeking anonymity told The Express Tribune that the letter stated that the trials of such cases could not be held due to security concerns.

Rangers have submitted a list of cases, which they want to be shifted from the courts in Karachi to other cities. According to the list, there are 33 suspects taken into custody by the Rangers and police. It further suggested that these suspects are facing trials in more than 50 criminal cases.

Officials said that five cases in question are pending before the courts of the judicial magistrates and district and session judges of District Central, while all the other cases are pending trial.

The officials, however, said that CJ Baqar has yet to approve the transfer of these trials. CJ Baqar had allowed transferring trials of 92 high-profile cases of terrorism from the ATCs of Karachi to Hyderabad, Khairpur, Shikarpur and Sukkur last February.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 7^th, 2015.