Over 98,000 absconders, POs at large, SHC told

The Sindh High Court (SHC) was informed on Thursday that 98,852 absconders and proclaimed offenders were still at large in different districts of the province.

The SHC was hearing the petition of Bashiran, who moved the court against the police failing to arrest the culprits responsible for murdering her son Wajid Ali in Malir.

A report submitted by the additional inspector general (legal) stated that 57,528 absconders and 41,324 POs were at large in the province. The figures do not cover three districts of Nawabshah, as a detailed report on them will be submitted later.

Expressing concern over the alarming number of absconders and POs at large, the SHC’s division bench headed by Justice Salahuddin Panhwar said an absconder could be easy prey for terrorists to keep the law and order situation upset on a permanent basis, particularly in a city like Karachi.

The bench said if the abnormal number of absconders at large was not reduced, the wish of lasting peace would remain a distant dream, adding that a judicial notice was also taken last year when the court found out that 59,000 absconders could not be arrested in Larkana division alone. The SHC stated that the police chief was ordered to place the names of POs on the exit control list, set up a website listing the names of absconders and relevant data, and freeze their bank accounts and identity cards.

The additional IG asked the court to order the National Database & Registration Authority (NADRA) to provide the facility of identity match to help arrest absconders and POs.

The bench ordered the federal government to put all the resources at the province’s disposal and direct NADRA to extend full cooperation to the Sindh police. The court also ordered NADRA’s chairman to submit a progress report.

The SHC ordered the provincial police to take drastic measures and launch a campaign on a war footing to ensure that not a single absconder remained at large.

The court said that in case the website was not functioning, the list of names should be published in local and national newspapers with a division-wise breakdown and with an appeal to the public to cooperate with the authorities through a toll-free number. The bench also ordered the police chief to submit a compliance report within 15 days.

Regarding the arrest of the culprits behind the murder of the petitioner’s son, the investigating officer said two men, Aijaz and Waheed, were arrested while Amjad, Mohammad Ali and Qurban were still at large and the police were trying to locate them.

The SHC said if the absconders were not arrested and no justification for the failure was provided, then the court would be compelled to issue a contempt notice to the police chief. The bench issued notices to the home secretary and the deputy attorney general, and adjourned the hearing until June 1.

The report of the additional inspector general (legal) stated that there were 26,195 POs and 20,792 absconders at large in Larkana, 1,273 POs and 3,764 absconders in Hyderabad, 157 POs and 1,668 absconders in Jamshoro, 454 POs and 4,177 absconders in Dadu, 322 POs and 389 absconders in Thatta, 264 POs and 549 absconders in Badin, 61 POs and 276 absconders in Tando Allahyar, 113 POs and 328 absconders in Tando Mohammad Khan, 272 POs and 382 absconders in Matiari, seven POs and 384 absconders in Sujawal, 951 POs and 1,347 absconders in Sukkur, 3,074 POs and 850 absconders in Khairpur, 2,696 POs and 3,626 absconders in Ghotki, 108 POs and 729 absconders in Mirpurkhas, 97 POs and 184 absconders in Umerkot, and two POs and 49 absconders in Tharparkar. In Karachi, according to the report, there are 5,054 POs and 17,813 absconders, including 1,302 terrorism suspects, at large in District East, 3,934 absconders and POs in District South, and 216 POs and absconders in District West.