KARACHI - The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Tuesday rejected an apology submitted by Inspector General of Sindh Police (IGP) Ghulam Haider Jamali for his failure to protect the high court when masked policemen in civvies beat the guards of Dr Zulfiqar Mirza and journalists who were covering the violent episode at the court premises on Saturday.
The SHC heard contempt plea on Tuesday against Jamali following the attack on media personnel by the police outside the court premises.
The court had directed the provincial chief secretary and home secretary to explain in writing who ordered the masked police personnel in plain clothes to cordon off the high court’s building and beat up media personnel and others during the appearance of former home minister Dr Zulfiqar Mirza on May 23.
Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, who headed the two-judge bench, came down hard on IGP Jamali and held him responsible for what he referred to as an “attack on the high court”. He said action would be taken against the IGP for his negligence. Before the SHC on Tuesday, the IG Sindh submitted a report in which it was claimed that the Superintendent of Police Preedy, In-charge of Special Investigation Unit (SIU) and 12 SSU commandos were suspended over the conduct of the police officials.
The key officials including IG Sindh Police Ghulam Haider Jamali and AIG Karachi Ghulam Qadir Thebo appeared in the court on Tuesday and submitted unconditional apology over authorising the masked personnel to do this act on the court’s premises.
The court observed that high police officials, including IG Sindh, have committed contempt of court for which they would be charge-sheeted and cross-examined in the court on May 28. The hearing was adjourned till May 28.
SSP SOUTH REMOVED FOR
TORTURE ON JOURNALISTS
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) South Chaudhry Asad has been removed from the post following the brutal torture on journalists outside the SHC. The Sindh Police have directed the SSP South to report to the Central Police Office after removing him from the post.
SSP West Ghulam Asfar has been temporarily given the charge of South. SSP Pir Shah has assumed the charge as SSP Central in addition to his post.
Meanwhile, Anti-Terrorism Court on Tuesday ordered the authorities to send the apprehended suspects Ubaid K2 and Tanvirul Haq, arrested from Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s (MQM’s) headquarter Nine Zero, on medical examination.
The hearing of the case was taken place in Karachi during which the lawyer demanded complete medical checkup of the arrested criminals. Subsequently, the court has accepted the counsel’s plea and directed the jail officials to conduct their medical examination in the jail and submit the report as early as possible. The felons were nabbed by the Rangers during a raid at Nine-Zero on March 11, 2015.
Moreover, Rangers on Tuesday carried out a controlled explosion in a bid to scrap explosives recovered from Orangi Town earlier. The explosives were detonated in Manghopir area and its bang was so loud that it was heard far and wide.