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LONDON: A US State Department report published last week said that Pakistan was incapable of prosecuting terror suspects, since three in four defendants are acquitted.

According to a report in The Telegraph, the US State Department’s 2010 report criticized its frontline ally in the war on terror saying it had had failed to outlaw militant Islamic terror groups, since they escaped bans by changing names.

It said that while Pakistan maintained it was committed to prosecuting those accused of terrorism, its Anti-Terrorism Court’s (ATC) rulings last year tell a different story showing that Pakistan’s acquittal rate of prosecuting suspected terrorists was approximately 75%.

The report further said that Islamabad had not closed loopholes which allowed terrorist groups and criminals to launder money (hawala), also mentioning former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto’s unresolved case as an example of how the investigative methods had to improve to collect better evidence, since the post assassination footage clearly showed that the crime scene in Rawalpindi was hosed down before evidence collection.

The report complains that Pakistan’s ‘weak implementation’ of a UN Security Council resolution which lists banned terrorist organisations remained a concern.

Wikileaks cables released earlier also showed that many of the more than 1,000 recently released US embassy cables relating to Pakistan speak of Pakistan’s battle against religious extremism and militancy, and the inability to being suspects to justice.

While some of the cables show concern on the trends observed by US diplomats, others simply relay what was being reported in the Pakistani media without comment.

In recent years, courts have yet to issue a verdict on a terrorism case or have released many terror suspects for lack of evidence, including the controversial Jamaat-ud-Dawa’s Ameer Prof Hafiz Muhammed Saeed.

The report comes amid deteriorating relations between the two countries and continuing anger in India at the slow progress in Pakistan’s prosecution of a number of alleged terrorist leaders charged with plotting the 2008 Mumbai massacre. Six Americans were among the 166 victims.

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WASHINGTON: America’s most influential military officer, General David Petraeus, hung up his urban-camouflage uniform on Wednesday as he prepared for his new job as CIA director.

Petraeus, 58, considered to be the leading general of his generation, left his mark on the military in the post-9/11 era but his legacy as commander in both Iraq and Afghanistan remains an open question.

After 37 years, Petraeus officially retired from the armed forces at a ceremony at Fort Meyer, near Arlington Cemetery where so many fallen soldiers from current and past wars are buried.

Next week, he will don a civilian suit as he takes the helm at the Central Intelligence Agency, where he will confront some of the same enemies he faced in the military, including Islamist militants from South Asia to the Horn of Africa.

With his acute intellect and celebrity status, the four-star general is revered by some as a hero, but his detractors on the left and inside the military sometimes portray him as a hyper ambitious “King David” with designs on the presidency.

Successful General?

Petraeus made his name in Iraq, taking over in January 2007 when the war appeared on the verge of catastrophe.

Leading a surge of additional troops and encouraging his officers to cut deals with former militants, Petraeus was credited with salvaging the war effort.

The success of the troop surge in Iraq is still under debate, with some critics arguing that violence receded because Al-Qaeda’s brutal tactics alienated Sunni tribal leaders.

Petraeus tried a similar approach to counter-insurgency in Afghanistan, backed up by a buildup of some 30,000 American troops.

Before stepping down in July after nearly a year as commander of the US-led international force there, Petraeus claimed progress against the Taliban as American troops rolled back the insurgents in the south while Afghan security forces expanded.

But violence has yet to decline in Afghanistan and the jury is still out on Petraeus’ tenure there. Public doubts about the nearly ten-year-old war are mounting, with Washington planning a gradual troop withdrawal over the next four years.

His relations with Obama’s civilian aides often have been strained, particularly during a protracted White House debate in 2009 over war strategy in Afghanistan.

Some of the general’s supporters were frustrated that Petraeus was passed over for chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the military’s top post.

The 101st Airborne Division paratrooper, who rewrote the Army’s manual for counter-insurgency warfare, embodies the military’s transformation since 9/11 as it shifted away from conventional methods.

His ideas have shaped a new generation of younger officers, who embraced the model of a lighter, more agile force working closely with intelligence agencies.

After former president George W. Bush named him to take over the faltering campaign in Iraq in 2007, the general’s televised appearances before a restive Congress made for dramatic scenes.

“The situation in Iraq is dire. The stakes are high. There are no easy choices, and the way ahead will be hard,” Petraeus once told the Senate Armed Services Committee.

“But hard is not hopeless,” he said, invoking one of his trademark phrases.  In some ways, he is an unlikely figure for an American general.

The Power-Point General

Instead of the popular image of the gruff, cigar-chomping commander barking out orders, Petraeus is an intellectual, a wiry long-distance runner fond of briefings with his power-point slides full of statistics and maps.

“I am going to manage you by slides,” he told his troops in Iraq, according to the book “Fourth Star.”

By the time he left Iraq, he was revered by his troops. “He’d made the Army feel smart again, and convinced his brigades and battalions that they could prevail,” wrote the book’s authors, David Cloud and Greg Jaffe.

The son of a Dutch sea captain, Petraeus has long been a star in the military.

Intensely competitive, he graduated from the US Military Academy at West Point in 1974, finished at the top of his 1983 class at the US Army Command and General Staff College, and went on to earn a doctorate in international relations at Princeton University.

He commanded the 101st Airborne Division during the 2003 invasion of Iraq, and quickly secured the northern region around Mosul.

LAHORE: Punjab governor Latif Khosa took the occasion of Eid to ease tensions between himself and the Punjab Chief Minister, Shahbaz Sharif, issuing a call to bridge their differences.

Khosa, though, expressed his dissatisfaction with investigations of the Shahbaz Taseer kidnapping case.

Talking to the media at the Governor House in Lahore, Khosa said the Federal Government was fully cooperating with the Punjab government to safely recover Shahbaz Taseer.

He urged the Punjab government to use the latest investigative systems and technologies to resolve the Taseer kidnapping case.

The Governor stressed upon the need to improve security in Punjab.

ISLAMABAD: The first day of Eidul Fitr is being celebrated across Pakistan with religious fervour on Wednesday.

Millions of Muslims offered Eid prayers in mosques and open places.

People offered special prayers for the solidarity, prosperity and integrity of Pakistan and unity amongst Muslims.

More than 300 Eid congregations were held in the twin cities. The biggest Eid congregation in Islamabad was held at the grand Faisal Mosque, that was attended by senior officials and prominent citizens.

The biggest congregation in Rawalpindi was held at the historic Liaquat Bagh.

Special security arrangements have been made across the country to avert any untoward incident on Eid.

Police and other law enforcers have also been deployed at different public places, highways, big shopping malls and markets.

Chaand raat

Eid preparations reached their peak on Chaand Raat as soon as the sighting of the moon was announced last night.

Markets and shopping malls were flooded with people of all ages.

As the announcement of the Shawwal moon was made, a large number of people, including women and children, headed towards the markets for last minute shopping.

Shops selling shoes and clothes were especially crammed with buyers.

All the major markets of Lahore remained crowded till late night, while the hustle and bustle also caused traffic jams in many areas.

Pillion riding ban lifted in Karachi

The Sindh government lifted ban on pillion on riding Karachi for five days to allow transport convenience during Eid.

The home department of Sindh issued a notification on the instructions of Home Minister Manzoor Wasan to relax the ban on pillion riding.

The ban has been lifted from August 31 to September 4.

Wasan has termed the move an ‘Eid gift’ for the people of Karachi.

The move has been taken following announcement made by Interior Minister Rehman Malik earlier.

Ban on pillion riding was imposed last month for indefinite period due to deteriorating law and order situation of the city.

An official source, requesting anonymity, said that the FC in the capital – guarding diplomats and other dignitaries – has run short of its personnel after the interior ministry moved more than 500 personnel from Islamabad to assist the Sindh authorities to control the current law and order situation in Karachi.

Sources said that the FC was responsible for the security of 192 important locations in the capital including diplomats and ministers’ residences and offices.

“Except the platoon commander, all FC personnel including its staff in Islamabad will be on active duty now,” an official said.  He added that the FC was facing difficulties performing its duties since out of the 43 platoons deputed in Islamabad, 13 had been moved to Karachi, increasing the burden on the rest of the force.

He said that some of the ministers have expressed displeasure when the FC personnel were removed from their residences. The capital police alone are now responsible for the security of political dignitaries, it was revealed.

“Since a significant number of FC personnel have been moved to Karachi, it is not possible for the FC to protect some of the VIPs because the prime duty of the FC is to protect foreigners,” sources said.

Most of the FC personnel have been posted in the Diplomatic Enclave and at the residences and offices of foreign diplomats in the capital.

Various diplomats, who have been visiting the foreign minister’s office from time to time, expressed reservations over the security measures, the source said. It was further revealed that some ambassadors have already left Islamabad since security measures were not taken up to their satisfaction.

The source said that the capital police’s operational division was also affected as more than 6,000 policemen had been deployed for the security of VIPs after the departure of the FC personnel. Around 3,000 policemen are now posted in different police stations who are supposed to man checkpoints across Islamabad, the source added.

In 2010, Interior Minister Rehman Malik had asked the then Islamabad inspector general police (IGP) Kaleem Imam to submit an evaluation report for a new force to be constituted for the protection of diplomats, which is yet to be set up.

The official said that the purpose of the proposed force was to guard VVIP routes and foreign dignitaries visiting the capital. Initially, the force was planned to comprise at least 1,000 security officials, the official said, adding that it would work under the command of the Islamabad IGP.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 31^st, 2011.

Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has promised to work closely with China in the fight against terrorism, state media said, nearly a month after Chinese officials blamed an attack in the troubled far-western region on militants trained in Pakistan.

Zardari made the comments during a meeting on Tuesday with Zhang Chunxian, the Communist Party chief of the restive region of Xinjiang, at the start of a trade expo in the capital, Urumqi.

His visit comes after officials in Kashgar, a city in south Xinjiang, said a stabbing attack in late July was orchestrated by members of the separatist “East Turkestan Islamic Movement” who trained in Pakistan before returning to China.

Xinjiang, a region torn by ethnic violence, borders Pakistan, and some members of the ethnic Uighur community opposed to Beijing’s rule have sought refuge there.

Zardari said that Islamabad opposes any terrorist activities, Xinhua said in a report on Wednesday.

Pakistan and China are long-time allies, and in recent months Islamabad has leaned closer to China as its ties with the United States have deteriorated.

Yet China has its own concerns over Pakistan’s stability as it struggles to fight militant groups operating from its soil.

In 2009, Zardari endorsed China’s policies in Xinjiang, after Muslim Uighurs rioted against Han Chinese residents in Urumqi, killing at least 197 people, mostly Han.

Ahead of the expo, China has tightened security in Urumqi, deploying SWAT teams and increasing checks on flights bound for the region, state media said

KARACHI: In a comprehensive plan chalked out by the authorities, nearly 15,000 law enforcement officers including the Rangers, will be deputed to patrol roughly 12,000 Eid congregations in the city.

The authorities have finalised their emergency security plan and claimed that plainclothes officers will be present in 50 sensitive areas. They added that closed-circuit cameras had been installed in areas as well to help monitor the situation.  Additional security personnel will also be deployed near five star hotels, government buildings and foreign missions while 5,000 policemen have been ordered to patrol different areas in the city.

In order to deter criminal activity and monitor the situation, there will be no Eid holidays for the law enforcement agents. The plan also specified that SHOs will be responsible for monitoring places of worship. Additional forces will be provided for patrolling Eid congregations if the need arises.

Police pickets have been set up at all entry and exit points of the city and the Bomb Disposal Squad has also been ordered to be prepared and to monitor public places such as parks.

While finalising the plan, IG Sindh Wajid Ali Durrani and additional IG Sindh Saud Mirza told policemen to remain alert during the Eid holiday.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 31^st,  2011.

The bench asked who was investigating the case, at which SSP Tariq Dharejo came forward. But the court said that the SSP can only supervise the probe and specifically asked for the investigating officer. A police sub-inspector then appeared before the court.

“Mr IG, we have directed that the investigations be carried out by a DSP-level officer,” the CJ said, observing that the police does not seem keen on investigating the case.

“No sir, this is not the case,” said the IGP. “Investigators are working on many leads, including a woman’s abduction, in which case the deceased lawyer was appearing as a counsel.”

SSP Dharejo quoted a friend of Chinoy, who was interrogated during the probe, that the deceased lawyer was being threatened. The deceased lawyer’s friend said that Chinoy was considering seeking assistance from the Citizens-Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) but he never came to police, Dharejo told the court.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 31^st,  2011.

ISLAMABAD: The government has ruled out the need for a judicial commission to probe the allegations levelled on Sunday by former Sindh senior minister Zulfiqar Mirza, said Information Minister Firdous Ashiq Awan at a press conference in Islamabad on Tuesday.

“There is no justification for a judicial commission to probe such allegations. If anyone has documentary evidence should go to the Supreme Court,” said Awan, referring to hearings being conducted by the apex court bench in Karachi about the violence that has plagued the country’s financial capital over the last three months.

Awan acknowledged that the confidence expressed by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement – one of the primary targets of Mirza’s diatribe – in the leadership of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party. “The PPP will not allow anyone to propagate his personal agenda through the party’s platform,” she said.

Awan said Zulifqar Mirza’s wife, Fehmida Mirza, would continue to serve as speaker of the National Assembly. On Sunday, Zulfiqar Mirza had implied that his wife might resign her position as well.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 31^st,  2011.

Adjourning proceedings of the suo motu notice taken of the Karachi violence till September 5, the court said that the government has the capacity to control the situation in Karachi but it appears as if the administration lacks the will to do so.

A full bench, headed by Chief Justice (CJ) Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, began hearing the case at the Supreme Court’s Karachi registry on Monday. In its first hearing, Durrani gave a two-hour-long presentation that the court dismissed as a ‘newspaper report’.

Tuesday was no better for Sindh’s Inspector-General of Police. “What type of officers do you have? You have no knowledge of how many torture cells exist in Karachi, while a private television channel has showed it,” said the chief justice, addressing Durrani.

The television channel had also interviewed some men who, it said, had managed to escape their killers. When Durrani said that these men were not among the 18 identified by the police, the bench observed that the police chief was not “telling the entire truth”.

Justice Amir Hani Muslim remarked that Durrani seemed to be unaware that, apart from the people whom they had identified, there were others who had been abducted. Justice Muslim observed that none of the arrested alleged target killers were produced before an anti-terrorism court and the city was left to be terrorised.

“Most FIRs are registered against unidentified persons and were closed by declaring them ‘A class’ [because of lack of incriminating evidence],” the CJ observed. “No effort has been made by police officers and other law-enforcers to trace the accused.”

(Read: Sindh police fail to impress indignant SC)

The case is further spoiled because innocent people are booked and later freed for want of evidence, said Justice Muslim. “Television channels show the person shooting but they [the police and law enforcers] do not want to arrest them,” he said.

Interrupting the Sindh government’s counsel, Abdul Hafeez Pirzada, the bench said that it is conscious of the pitfalls in the system, which is why it had taken this suo motu notice. “We stand for democracy. This court will never like any departure from democracy as this country has already suffered a lot,” the CJ said. “The provincial machinery should [be able to] control these perpetrators.”

During his arguments, Pirzada said that, in suo motu proceedings, the court can only make suggestions. “The government did not violate any basic human or fundamental rights. If it does so through a legislative or executive order, the court has the power to strike it down.”

Responding to Pirzada’s arguments, the CJ said that the court and counsel shall not tread into grey areas such as invoking the constitutional mechanism of proclaiming emergency or calling armed forces to aid civilian powers. “The federal and provincial government can control the situation on ground, only some determination is required,” the bench observed.

“We want to give a wake-up call to the authorities. They are not doing everything that they are capable of doing,” observed Justice Sarmad Jalal Osmany.

Pirzada said that he has conveyed the court’s observations to the prime minister, Sindh chief minister and other senior officials.

“There is a general impression among the people that the fundamental rights of citizens are being compromised for political expediency, which is considered more important,” observed Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali.

“Why doesn’t the provincial government raise its own force?” Justice Jamali asked. “You have more than 32,000 policemen for Karachi and even then you have borrowed 25,000 more from the federation.”

The hearing was then adjourned till September 5. Addressing the Sindh police chief, the court asked him to present, at the next hearing, a detailed report with respect to all FIRs registered during the past month.

Iftikhar Gilani, counsel for the Awami National Party, will address the court at the next hearing.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 31^st, 2011.

URUMQI: President Asif Ali Zardari reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to fighting and rooting out terrorism and extremism from its soil and assured China Pakistan’s fullest cooperation in defeating the evils of extremism, terrorism and secessionism.

Zardari, who is in China to attend the first China-Eurasia expo, said Pakistan condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and would spare no effort in rooting out this menace. The President expressed these views during his meeting with the political leaders of Xinjiang Ughur Autonomous Region led by Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Xinjiang, Zhang Chunxian here on the sidelines of the first China-Eurasia Expo held in Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang, from September 1 to 5.

Other leaders included Governor of Xinjiang Nur Bekri, Chairman of the Standing Committee of Xinjiang Peoples Congress Aligeng Yimingbahai, Chairman of the Xinjiang Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Council (CPPCC) Aisihaiti Kelimubai, Leader of Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps Che Jun, Executive Vice Governor of Xinjiang Huang Wei, Member of the Standing Committee of CPC Xinjiang Regional Committee Bai Zhijie, Vice Governor of Xinjiang Arkin Tuniyazi, Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Liu Jian and senior officials.

From the Pakistan side, the meeting was attended by Foreign Minister Ms. Hina Rabbani Khar, Commerce Minister Makhdoom Amin Fahim, Defence Minister Ch. Ahmed Mukhtar, Petroleum and Natural Resources Minister Dr. Asim Hussain, Chief Minister Gilgit Baltistan Syed Mehdi Shah, Prime Minister Azad Jammu and Kashmir Chaudhary Abdul Majeed, Chairman Board of Investment Salim H. Manviwala, President of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI)Senator Haji Ghulam Ali, Pakistan’s Ambassador to China Masood Khan and spokesperson to the President Farhatullah Babar.

Briefing media after the meeting, Spokesperson Farhatullah Babar said that President Zardari while talking about the close and deep rooted relations Pakistan enjoyed with China, said that his daughters were accompanying him on the visit, which is a proof of generation to generation ties between the two countries.

He also mentioned the forthcoming visit of PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to China later this week to attend the International Political Conference and said it shows Pakistan and China were looking to strengthen relations at political parties level.

Trade and cultural ties between Pakistan and Xinjiang

Zardari said that since Xinjiang and Pakistan have a shared cultural heritage and long history of close cooperative ties, his country was determined to enhance and strengthen relations with Xinjiang, adding, the two sides share aspirations for peace, harmony and prosperity.

He recalled that Khunjerab border was first trade route opened by China with any of its neighbours, adding, there was a need to focus on developing close economic and trade links.

The President said immense scope existed for investments and joint ventures between Pakistan and Xinjiang in diverse fields including agriculture, food processing, minerals and energy sector.

“We are glad that Xinjiang and Kashgar are preparing themselves to connect China to Central Asia, to South and West Asia, to the Middle East, and to Europe.”

Zardari said Xinjiang’s economic development was extremely impressive, adding, the development has provided an opportunity for Pakistani entrepreneurs to enhance bilateral and trade investment.

Establishing economic zones

The President also stressed on developing an overland trade facilitation regime by Integrated Border Management and to develop a Trans border Economic Zone between Xinjiang and Northern Pakistan.

He also stressed on the need to enhancing connectivity by rail, road and air links, adding, Pakistan wanted to reap full benefits of Kashgar Special Economic Zone. “We offer our territory and ports for Chinese trade.”

He said since Pakistan considers Kashghar as an intersection for facilitating and promoting communications of China with Pakistan and Central Asia and beyond, there was a need for establishing an air link between Kashgar and Pakistan.

He said as Pakistan and China are good friends and strategic partners, there was need to enhance and further strengthen relations in education, culture and tourism as well as increased people to people contacts and close collaboration at the level of scientists, scholars and researchers on the issues of environment, climate change, melting of glaciers and on biodiversity.

WASHINGTON DC: Former United States Vice President, Dick Cheney has alleged that  ’Al Qaeda sympathisers occupied key slots in former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf’s government, and Osama bin Laden’s presence in Abbottabad suggests the terror group enjoyed significant sympathy,’ in his memoirs releasing on Tuesday.

Cheney, who was deputy to George W Bush between 2001 and 2009, says in the period after 9/11 US-Pak ties were bedevilled by a lot of problems before things started changing around 2004. “Pakistan was on the edge. There were major problems in US-Pakistan relations. President Pervez Musharraf’s hold on power was tenuous and he had al Qaeda sympathisers in key slots in his government,” Cheney further alleges in his memoirs released on Tuesday.

He, however, does not name the government functionaries he refers to as al Qaeda sympathisers in Musharraf’s government.

“Pakistan’s radical Islamic movement was strong and areas of country were hosting al Qaeda operating bases. Pakistan’s stability was a major concern, if radicals managed to take control, they would control the country’s nuclear arsenal,” he writes in his 533-page book, titled “In My Time: A Personal and Political Memoir”.

Cheney said the equations between Pakistan and the US started changing by 2004 and Pakistanis helped capture or kill hundreds of al Qaeda terrorists in Pakistan, including the mastermind of 9/11, Khalid Sheikh Mohammad.

“In Pakistan President Musharraf had signed up with the United States after 9/11 and was providing significant support for our operations in Afghanistan,” he says. Cheney claims as Musharraf’s hold on power in Pakistan had started to weaken, the US increasingly found his commitments not translating into actions.

“We also had much to do in Pakistan, where Musharraf had provided key support, but had an increasingly weak hold on power over a government whose loyalties were at times divided,” he further claimed.

Cheney also referred to his visit to Pakistan in early 2007 where he was accompanied by CIA deputy director Steve Kappes and during his meetings with Musharraf he strongly raised the question of terrorist safe havens. “We discussed with Musharraf the matter of tribal areas on Pakistani side of the border with Afghanistan, which both the Taliban and al Qaeda were using to regroup and rearm before crossing the border to attack again,” he wrote.

“Musharraf had tried to work out a deal whereby he would agree that Pakistani troops would not interfere in Federally Administered Tribal Areas if the tribal leaders would deny safe haven to al Qaeda and the Taliban. The deal did not work. And although Musharraf continued to express support for our efforts in our private meetings, increasingly his commitments were not translating into actions from his government,” Cheney wrote.

Former Vice President alleges within Pakistan government there were also some who continued to support the Taliban, which among other things, hindered efforts to clear out the tribal areas. “Al Qaeda had its sympathisers, too, as Osama bin Laden’s presence in Abbottabad for some six years seems to suggest,” he writes.

Cheney acknowledges that Musharraf’s government worked with the US to capture some of most important leaders in the war on terror. He also claims that safe havens continued to exit in Pakistan, and points out that it was Bush Administration which started use of drones to attack terrorists inside Pakistan. “Our efforts in Afghanistan continued to be hindered by safe havens that Taliban and al Qaeda found in Pakistan, we ramped our use of armed drones – unmanned aerial vehicles,” he said.

The Ruet-e-Hilal central committee announced that Eidul Fitr will be celebrated in the country on August 31.

The announcement came after members of the committee received 21 reports of the sighting of the Shawwal moon. The official announcement was made by Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman.

Market places across the country have been flooded by shoppers making last minute purchases and enjoying the sights and sounds of Chaand raat.

Controvesry did however surround this Eid’s moon sighting, as Eid was celebrated in most parts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa on Tuesday.

Mufti Shahabuddin Popolzai, the chief cleric at Peshawar’s historic Masjid Qasim Ali Khan, told the media after a meeting of his own unofficial moon-sighting committee that they have received ‘testimonies’ about moon-sighting from 10 persons from different parts of the province.

Mufti Popolzai’s ‘decree’ coincided with an official announcement from the Saudi religious authorities that the Shawwal moon has been sighted and Eidul Fitr will be celebrated in the kingdom on Tuesday, August 30.

Other Middle Eastern and Gulf states – including Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Iran and Iraq – also celebrated Eid on Tuesday.

KARACHI: Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry slammed the Sindh government over the rise in Karachi violence during Tuesday’s hearing of the suo motu case on the security situation in the city.

(Read: Sindh police fails to impress indignant SC)

He said that the government has the resources and machinery to restore peace in the metropolis but lacks the will to do so. He directed the Sindh government to act immediately to curb the violence.

A five-member bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry ordered Attorney General Anwarul Haq to file a new report, carrying the latest information about those who are creating unrest in Karachi.

Court slams govt

“It is time for the provincial government to wake up,” the chief justice told the Sindh government’s counsel, Abdul Hafeez Pirzada. “The matter has become serious and a fundamental right to security is being violated,” he added.

In hidden words, the CJ said that bringing the army into Karachi to curb violence would amount to a destruction of democratic institutions and stated that the issue should be resolved democratically.

The chief justice questioned Pirzada about the police’s failure to identify victims of target killings, saying that FIRs were registered to unnamed persons.

He also expressed dissatisfaction that none of the accused were presented in Anti-Terrorism Courts, nor were issued a challan by the police. He slammed the police for not recording the statement of an injured victim who was recovered earlier this week.

He noted that the provincial government’s move to borrow federal security forces has proved very expensive. The better alternative, the CJ remarked, was to develop the provincial police force.

The govt’s version

Earlier during the hearing of the suo moto notice case of Karachi violence, the Sindh government’s Counsel Hafeez Pirzada told the court that 2.5 million foreigners are living in Karachi but less than 100,000 have been registered.

He maintained that in recent years, these foreigners have increased their influence and may be blamed for the rise in violence in Pakistan’s heartland.

Chronicling the history of ethnic clashes in Karachi, Pirzada said the Pashtuns and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) first clashed in Sohrab Goth during the rule of General Ziaul Haq in the 80s.

He said the local bodies system, introduced by former president Pervez Musharraf, aggravated ethnic tensions in the city.

The hearing of this case has been adjourned till September 5.

PPI adds

SC asks for intelligence reports, testimonies to be submitted

Supreme Court of Pakistan on Tuesday directed the IG Police Sindh, Wajid Ali Durrani to submit progress reports of investigation in all murders, extortion and abduction cases including statements of 18 peopel who were recovered from the custody of target killers in the past month in Karachi.

The five-member bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, again directed Attorney General Moulvi Anwarul Haq to submit investigation reports of Inter Services Intelligence, Military Intelligence & Intelligence Bureaus about target killings in Karachi on September 5, 2011, when the bench is expected to resume hearing suo moto case after Eidul Fitr holidays at its Karachi Registry.

Attorney General Moulvi Anwarul Haq requested for more time to submit reports of ISI, MI & IB on investigation into target killings, extortion, abduction & murders that took place from July 24 to August 24, 2011 in Karachi.

Ethnic divide along linguistic lines being fuelled by alien influx

Senior Advocate Abdul Hafeez Pirzada concluded his arguments on behalf of Sindh government and said that ethnic divide was strong in Karachi, where population increases annually, and influx results in the division of many localities on the basis of language. One reason was introduction of Language Bill in Sindh province by then government in early 1970s.

He Pirzada said that drugs, extortion mafias were extorting money in name of “protection money”. Non-enforcement of Citizenship Act, almost 2.5 million illegal migrants continued to live in Karachi, and were yet to be registered by National Aliens Registration Authority (NARA). Of these, only 100,000 such migrants were registered so far. He said that these armed migrants were involved in crimes and remain untraced.

Lack of witnesses hamper investigations

He submitted a report which put the non-arrest of suspected target killers due to lack of protection to eyewitnesses, who remain silent out to fear of being harmed by criminals. This leads to non-arrest of actual accused.

IGP Sindh Wajid Durrani said cases registered were charge sheeted with no headway into cases of target killings, extortion, abduction, as none of affectees was willing to record their statements.

CJP Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry remarked: “Mr. IG through your yesterday’s briefing only ethnic game was presented in court. Where are perpetrators. The abducted persons, who were later recovered, are giving their statements in media. But, you have no knowledge. Not a single preventive step was taken despite 365 people were killed in Karachi. Absolutely, no efforts were made either by any SHO, DSP Police or other law enforcement agencies.”

IGP Durrani said contingent of police & Rangers were deployed in affected areas & operations carried out.

Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali remarked: “We have witnessed what happened on night of May 12, 2007, when people were being killed and Rangers said they had no powers.”

Nationalist parties submit application to become party to Suo Moto hearings

Meanwhile, apex court allowed civil miscellaneous applications(No.4108, 531-K, 532-K & 533-K of 2011) submitted by President Awami National Party ANP, Sindh Bachao Committee, Sindh United Party, Karachi Bar Association, Sindh Bar Council, Muhammad Laiq, ex-MNA JI and three others with request that they may be pleaded as party in present proceedings.

A court order said: “As instant matter is being heard under Article 181(3) of Constitution, involving questions of public importance with reference to enforcement of fundamental rights, as indicated in order dated August 24, 2011, therefore, these applications are allowed. The applicants are impleaded as parties in this matter”.

The order further directed the Attorney General to submit the reports from agencies on next date of hearing.

Record testimonies of torture, target killing victims

The court also directed the police to record the statement of Asim Khan, who was found injured in a gunny bag, although he was thrown away considering that he had died. The court also directed the police to provide protection to him.”

Murder investigation of Advocate Muhammad Murtaza Chinoy

IGP Wajid Durrani in response to order dated August 26, 2011 said that investigations in murder of Advocate Muhammad Murtaza Chinoy had been entrusted to SP Karachi, Tariq Dharejo.

Adjourning hearing till September 5, 2011, the court ordered “it is noted that he (SP Tariq Dharejo) is supervisory officer whereas investigation is being conducted by SI Ghulam Murtaza Kakar. IGP is directed to associate a senior officer of the rank of DSP to conduct investigation. He agreed to entrust investigation to DSP Siraj Lashari, who shall be incharge of investigation and conduct investigation in association with SP Tariq Dharejo and report shall be submitted on the next date of hearing.”

KARACHI: More than 20 suspects were arrested from various areas on Tuesday during overnight raids conducted by police and Rangers in the wake of a search operation in Karachi.

Rangers also recovered arms and ammunition in the outskirts of Karachi during the ongoing campaign to stem target killings through targeted operations.

(Read: 90 suspects arrested in Karachi, search operation continues)

Four suspects were arrested in a joint operation from sector nine of Baldia Town, whereas, two Kalashnikovs and two TT pistols were also recovered from their possession.

Police also arrested four drug dealers and two criminals from different areas of the city and also recovered arms and drugs along with stolen cell phones.

Police is further investigating the suspects.

Meanwhile, the ban on pillion riding, earlier put in place to stem crime and target killing in Karachi, was lifted for the three days of Eid by Interior Minister Rehman Malik.

Earlier, the Supreme Court took notice of the three months of continuous violence that claimed over 400 lives and is known as the worst violence the city has seen since the 1990s.

(Read: Armageddon now: ‘Apocalypse is coming to Karachi’)

The police and Rangers along with 500 FC personnel have been deployed across the city in order to curb the spate of killings and regain normalcy.