ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has remarked the arms flow into Karachi was directed from India, Israel, NATO, US and Russia.
He observed “The arms which flow from south into Karachi come from India and Israel and the arms which flow from the north into Karachi come from NATO, US and Russia. If we get determined, not a single bullet would come in the country illegally. Rocket launchers and anti-aircraft guns were also recovered from the city. If we have to save the country, we can take the steps by imposing curfew.”The CJP said where are the killers of police officers who took part in Karachi operation in the 1990s.
He further remarked, “Police officers who took part in Karachi operation during 1992 and 1996 were culled and murdered. Where are their assassins? Had the killers of police personnel been arrested, police morale would have been higher today. Policemen are still rendering sacrifices. No one is above the law.”The CJP further observed, “It is said day and night that courts don’t give decisions. But the problem is this that no protection is provided to witnesses. No one dares to arrest the killers of witnesses of Wali Babar murder for the sake of protection of witnesses. Wali Babar murder case must not be put in cold storage.”
He added that murder of witnesses was impossible without the collusion between police and influentials.During hearing of the Karachi law and order case, Customs Chief Collector Muhammad Yahya filed an investigation report in the court. He said in his statement before the court that arms did not flow into Karachi from the port but were smuggled from northern areas, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.The federal government, Sindh chief secretary and police presented a report on Karachi situation in the court.
It was said that ISI and MI had declared ongoing targeted operation in Karachi effective and proposed to continue it.The government of Sindh said the targeted operation continued in Karachi under the command of Rangers, but the provincial government was patronising the operation. Control of one police station each in five districts of Karachi has been given to the Rangers.The report said 1,357 accused persons involved in targeted killing, extortion and other crimes were arrested during September 5 to 16 in Karachi.
The report added that there was a lack of coordination between Customs officials and officers of law enforcement agencies in matter of arms smuggling.Both of them have been directed in a high-level meeting to increase their mutual contacts.The Sindh chief secretary told the court that an effective operation was continuing in Karachi in line with the decisions of the federal cabinet.Sindh advocate general said, “we are fully implementing SC’S decision.”He said the PTA had directed all mobile companies to close down all illegal SIMs. Four projects of installation of 2,000 CCTV cameras would be completed by November, he said.
The CJP said it was unclear if the government wanted to implement court’s decisions.During the previous hearing, the SC had constituted a single-member commission led by former member customs Muhammad Ramzan to probe into what Rangers DG said about extraction of arms from port in connivance with former minister for ports and their use in Karachi.Ramzan filed a subsequent report in the court.The application filed by former minister for port and shipping Babar Ghauri to become party to the case is likely to be heard today.Babar Ghauri has taken the plea that Rangers DG should either prove his allegations or should appear in the court and withdraw his statement. – PT
