SHC tells police to explain their efforts for preventing mugging incidents in city

The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday directed the Sharifabad police to submit a report as to what efforts were being made to prevent mobile snatching incidents during the traffic jams and how the traffic was managed during the Pakistan Super League matches in the city.

The direction came on a contempt-of-court application of Aziz Fatima who submitted that despite the undertaking before the court that University Road from the central prison to Nipa and Sir Shah Suleman Road from New Town to Dalmia shall not be closed during the PSL matches, the same roads had been again blocked by the alleged contemnors by putting containers.

She submitted that police personnel standing on the roads were also restraining the vehicles and pedestrians from movement, which was the breach of the undertaking by the alleged contemnors that had been made part of the court order. She sought action against alleged contemnors for violating the undertaking before the court.

The applicant also submitted that due to the blockage of roads, the incidents of mobile snatching and mugging were rising and no proper security personnel were deputed on the roads to help out the public at large.

The assistant inspector general of police (legal) submitted that they used to deploy police force for the security and safety of the public at large and a report would be submitted before the court in the regard.

A division bench of the SHC headed by Justice Mohammad Ali Mazhar inquired the alleged contemnors why the court orders had not been obeyed. However, the alleged contemnors, SP Traffic Farah Umbreen and home department focal person Ali Asghar Mehar, submitted that they had not violated the court order and sought time to file their replies. The bench directed them to file their replies with supporting affidavits.

Another applicant Mohammad Hanif Bandhani filed an application to join the proceedings on the ground that due to the blockage of roads during the PSL matches, his grandson Usama Saeed could not be brought to a hospital in time after he had sustained bullet injuries during a mobile snatching incident, and due to excessive bleeding, he died before reaching a hospital.

In the interest of justice, the high court took the application on record and directed a provincial law officer and police to submit comments.

The bench directed the Sharifabad police to submit a report as to what efforts were being made by them to prevent the mugging incidents in their territorial jurisdiction when there were traffic jams and public were stuck due to the blockage of roads and divergence during the PSL matches.

The SHC directed the Sharifabad SHO to also apprise the court in writing about whether he had deployed a proper police force in his area to prevent untoward incidents. The high court also directed the Liaquatabad and Aziz Bhatti SHOs to ensure proper safety arrangements in their territorial limits.

The bench directed the Sindh inspector general of police to convey clear directions to the SHOs of the police stations where traffic jams occurred or traffic was diverted from their territorial limits to ensure the deployment of police officials on such blocked roads to prevent muggings.

The high court ordered the Sharifabad SHO and investigation officer to submit a progress report on action they were taking to arrest the killers of Saeed. The bench was informed that the security SSP was the relevant person for security arrangements, whereas the traffic SP submitted that the operations DIG was responsible for the deployment of containers on roads.

The SHC observed that since the officials were passing the buck, it was necessary that the Karachi additional IG appeared in person along with the security SSP. The SHC also issued notices to the additional home secretary and District Central investigation SSP and adjourned the hearing till March 2.

It is pertinent to mention that the home department and traffic police officials had assured the SHC that University Road and Sir Shah Suleman Road shall not be blocked during the PSL matches.

The petitioner had submitted that government functionaries had illegally and unconstitutionally blocked several access points leading to Sir Shah Suleman Road, University Road, Dalmia Road, Aga Khan Road and Karsaz Road. She said police and law enforcement agencies were even not allowing pedestrians to walk near the stadium, which was against the constitutional provisions, viz-a-viz freedom of movement, besides it was also against the principle of natural justice and international rules as people could not even use these roads even in case of emergency.

The petitioner had submitted that the Supreme Court had observed in the ‘Dharna’ case that no roads should be blocked in any circumstances and thus the Sindh government was violating the orders of the apex court.

She had requested the high court to order immediate removal of the hurdles and containers from Sir Shah Suleman Road, University Road, Dalmia Road, Aga Khan Road and Karsaz Road so that patients could easily go to the Aga Khan Hospital, Liaquat National Hospital, National Institute of Blood Diseases and other health facilities in the vicinity of the National Stadium.