ISLAMABAD - The Supreme Court on Tuesday referred Chairman Muhajir Qaumi Movement Afaq Ahmed’s contempt petition to the Chief Justice Sindh High Court to initiate contempt of court proceedings against government for not removing ‘no go areas’ in Karachi.
A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry said they have yet not announced the final judgment and a committee that was set up under the supervision of SHC to look after the law and order situation in Karachi and the implementation of the judgment. The Chief Justice asked Afaq to take up his concern before the commission and he is not satisfied then approach the apex court.
He said that contempt is committed in a case wherein final judgment has been announced, but in Karachi unrest no final verdict has been given. The CJP said that committee of and on sends its report, adding, it’s difficult for them to control Karachi law and order situation.
The Supreme Court on October 6th, 2011 in a judgment directed that a Committee be constituted by the provincial Government, headed by the Chief Justice of Sindh High Court, who shall be assisted by the Chief Secretary, the heads of the security agencies i.e. para-military organisations and IG police, to supervise and ensure that law-enforcement agencies take action indiscriminately, across the board against the perpetrators involved in causing disturbances in Karachi.
Afaq Ahmed after the proceeding while talking to media persons at the Supreme Court premises said that the apex court had directed the Rangers to abolish all the ‘no go areas’ in Karachi, but the administration had not removed the ‘no go areas’ in Karachi and no political opponent could visit in those areas and everything was being done under the supervision of the government and one political party.
The killing in the economic hub is going in the presence of the police and administration, he said.
He said that according to police own record 1,321 persons were killed in September 2011, 1,419 in October, 1,508 in November and 1,604 in December last year.
He said that under National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) 3,230 cases of murders and others, registered against MQM chief Altaf Hussain, Sindh Governor Ishratul Ibad, Imran Farooq, Saleem Shahzad and Babar Ghauri, Minister for Port and Shipping, were withdrawn.
Now the Prosecutor General Sindh says that there were only six cases withdrawn under NRO, he stated.
MQM-H chief said that peace could be maintained in Karachi through deweaponisation.
Afaq said after his release Home Minister Sindh had suggested him to shift to Lahore.
He also mentioned that the concerned authorities were not proceeding against the political party, which was involved in ‘terrorist activities’, because it was scared that their government might end.
He also mentioned that MQM had got the public mandate at gun-point and the terrorists were moving everywhere.