SC orders police and LEAs to take measures against possible challenges of Taliban in Karachi

KARACHI: Supreme Court in an interim order passed on Saturday has directed the police and other law enforcement agencies to take all possible measures to meet any challenge, which may be faced by citizens of Karachi due to illegal immigration of foreigners and Talibans, who are reportedly armed with sophisticated weapons.

The larger bench of apex court headed by Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali was hearing the case in Karachi registry pertaining to implementation of SC court’s order passed last year over the killings in the metropolis.The other members of bench were Justice Khilji Arif Hussain, Justice Sarmad Jalal Osmany, Justice Amir Hani Muslim and Justice Gulzar Ahmed.

The judgment consists of eight pages in which SC said on one side hue and cry is made by the government about law and order situation on the pretext of terrorism and on the other hand is releasing the convicts and under-trial prisoners who have purportedly committed heinous crimes including the acts of terrorism. These instances clearly reflect the mala-fide conduct of the government of Sindh in dealing poor law and order situation in Sindh particularly at Karachi, which if continued, will never bring peace in Karachi/Sindh.

SC has directed Home department and Inspector General of police to ensure the arrest of 35 prisoners released on the parole and produce them before the concerned trial courts, the list of which had been submitted by IG Prisons.

The court observed that to tackle the issue of increasing incidents of killings of innocent people, different law enforcing agencies particularly rangers shall coordinate with each other in such a manner that not only wanted criminals are nabbed and brought to justice, other criminals are also effectively checked.

The court has directed the rangers on apprehension of accused transfer them immediately to the concerned police station, as they do not have powers of investigation.

The court in its interim order said no one amongst high-ups is serious in building up the police department as it has a lot of short comings, and no one amongst senior officers seem to have shown concerns in this regard.

SC in the order has asserted that recruitment in police services is not transparent and transfer and posting of the police officers also lacks merits.

The SC interim order also stated that secretary excise and taxation has assured that action will be taken against the vehicle without number plates and with number plates of AFR (applied for the registration), and also non duty paid vehicle having no registration number and number or having fancy plates.

SC stated that he has assured motor vehicles, motorcycles or other vehicles will be issued number plate and documentation immediately.

The interim order also directed concerned authorities to submit the monthly statement about the fitness of vehicles examined.