ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has constituted a special bench to take up a suo motu case regarding ongoing target killings incidents in Karachi on Aug 26.
The five-member special bench includes the Chief Justice, Justice Shakirullah Jan, Justice Nasir-ul-Mulk, Justice Tariq Parvez and Justice Ghulam Rabbani.
Attorney General for Pakistan is directed to appear and submit a comprehensive report about the incidents which have been taking place in Karachi for the last more than one month.
The Supreme Court has directed the Chief Secretary and PPO Sindh through Advocate General Sindh to submit details of the incidents. They are directed to provide the number of persons who have been killed or injured in these incidents for the last one month. They are also asked to place on record copies of the daily situation reports duly prepared by the police officers concerned for the perusal of PPO (Provicial Police Officer) and the Chief Secretary.
"The FIRs (first information reports) and other material be also filed in order to assess violation of the fundamental rights of the citizens," the Chief Justice in his order said.
Presidents of Supreme Court Bar Association and Sindh High Court Bar Association have been issued notices to appear and assist the court as well.
The notice was taken on a statement of Allama Tahir-ul-Qadri which appeared in a section of media calling for action on the Karachi situation.
Upon the Chief Justice's directions, CDs/DVD were received from different channels and office submitted a detailed note.
After going through the office note, the Chief Justice passed the following order:
"I have gone through above noted facts, reported in the print/flashed in the electronic media, perusal whereof presents a bleak/dismal picture of bloodshed, arson, kidnapping/abduction for ransom, widespread violence, illegal collection of money (Bhatta) from traders, which prima facie are violative of Articles 9, 14, 15, 18 and 24 of the Constitution. Prima facie, the Executive has failed to protect the life, liberty, dignity, property and freedom of the general public, as it's manifested in the above note/reports. Therefore, let this note be converted into petition under Article 184(3) of the Constitution."
The material placed before the Chief Justice pointed out that lives and properties of Karachi were not safe.
They also pointed out that frequent killings of innocent citizens had made lives of citizens miserable with cases of abduction, recovery of beheaded bodies with tied arms and legs, rise in street crime, besides, different groups had been involved in target killings.
Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2011
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