Perveen Rehman case in SC: Centre, Sindh govts asked to find persons making threatening

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday issued directives to the federal as well as the government of Sindh to trace out the persons making threatening calls to the family of slain prominent social activist Perveen Rehman and incumbent Director Orangi Pilot Project (OPP) Anwar Rashid.

A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed, heard a suo motu case regarding Perveen Rehman, a prominent social activist and director of the Orangi Pilot Project Research and Training Institute, who was gunned down on 13 March 2013 in Karachi.

During the course of hearing, the sister of slain Perveen Rehman informed the court that they and Anwar Rashid, incumbent Director of Orangi Pilot Project (OPP), have been receiving some threatening calls. Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed observed that it seems that the caller may be using foreign phone for threatening calls, adding that the caller may be Pakistani as well.

Meanwhile, the court directed the federal and Sindh government to trace out the identity of persons making the threatening calls. During the hearing, additional secretary interior informed the court that in order to investigate the matter on sound footing, the cabinet has approved the constitution of a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) and notification in this regard will be issued in a few days. Later, the court adjourned the hearing for two weeks.

Last year in January, the court had ordered for constituting a Judicial Commission to probe the killing of prominent activist Parveen Rehman.

The court had criticised the investigation so far made by the Karachi Police and its negligence in the murder of Parveen Rehman. The court was informed the principal accused, including Rahim Sawati, Muhammad Amjad Hussain Khan, Ahmed Khan alias Papoo Kashmiri and Muhammad Imran, have been arrested and their trial is pending before the Anti-Terrorism Court, Karachi.

Parveen Rehman was killed in cold blood on March 13, 2013, when she was on her way home from her office. Assailants on a motorbike shot at her car on the main Manghopir Road, near the Banaras Flyover.

She sustained bullet wounds to the neck and was rushed to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital by her driver, where she died because of her wounds.