High court siege: ‘CM’s report an attempt to hoodwink court’

Whatever was done by the officers was unforgiveable, say judges.

KARACHI: Declaring the Sindh chief minister's action against the lower-ranking police officials as an attempt to hoodwink the court, the Sindh High Court (SHC) on Monday hinted at indicting IG Ghulam Haider Jamali for contempt of court over the incidents of besieging the high court and the anti-terrorism court.

A division bench, headed by Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, fixed June 4 as the date to examine the unconditional apologies and personal affidavits submitted by IG Jamali, Karachi AIG Ghulam Qadir Thebo, South Zone DIG and others and pass 'appropriate order' against them.

The bench was hearing the petition of former home minister, Dr Zulfiqar Mirza, seeking protection from police arrest and subsequent contempt proceedings against the senior police officials over besieging the SHC and ATC buildings on May 23.

On May 28, the SHC had spared the police chief and others from prosecution under contempt charges and had ordered the chief minister to take action against them within two days.

At the outset of Monday's proceedings, IG Jamali personally appeared and submitted the security plan devised for May 23 during the appearance of the estranged PPP leader before the ATC and adjoining high court building. The two judges remarked that the security plan was apparently devised in such a manner that an operation was being launched for the criminals because police snipers were also deployed at the high court's rooftop. They inquired from the IG whether a formal permission was sought to launch the operation.

Advocate general Abdul Fateh Malik said the chief minister, Qaim Ali Shah, had already constituted a committee to investigate the allegations. Addressing the chief secretary, the judges said the action initiated by the CM was nothing but an attempt to hoodwink the court.

Advocate Farooq H Naek, a senior lawyer privately hired by IG Jamali, said his client begged pardon from the court. "The IG has left himself at the mercy of the court. His unconditional apology may be accepted," Naek insisted. To this, the judges observed that the incident was of a serious nature and whatever was done by the officers was unforgiveable. Justice Shah remarked that someone who insults a judge may be pardoned but one who insults the court cannot be pardoned.

Javed Mir, who represented Mirza, recalled that the security arrangements on the day were so perked up, it appeared that the US president was visiting. Naek replied that IG Jamali also sought an apology from the media, adding that a letter will also be addressed to Mirza to seek a similar apology.

Journalists' beating

Barrister Salahuddin Ahmed, who represented the journalists beaten up during the police action, submitted the video footages showing the masked police personnel in plain clothes torturing the media personnel.

After hearing arguments from all sides, the SHC bench fixed June 4 to examine the personal affidavits submitted by the IG, the Karachi AIG and others, seeking unconditional apology from the court, on the next date of hearing.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 2^nd, 2015.