DAWN/The News International, KARACHI
24 February 1999, Wednesday, 07 Ziqa'ad 1419
KARACHI: Senator Nasreen Jalil, deputy convener Coordination Committee of Muttahida Qaumi Movement, has condemned the arrest of two activists from the party headquarters -- Nine-Zero -- and said the MQM cannot be crushed through such negative tactics.
Addressing a hurriedly-called press conference at Karachi Press Club on Tuesday along with Dr Farooq Sattar, Senator Nasreen said technician Jamil of MQM Labour Wing and Akhtar Ghauri were taken into custody by police.
She alleged that Nawaz Sharif had converted the country into a police state and used negative and third degree methods against the MQM and Mohajir community. Nasreen said victimisation and police action against the MQM had increased after imposition of governor's rule. She pointed out that the people of Karachi had never surrendered before any ruler and said the prime minister should learn a lesson from history.
Dr Farooq Sattar said after imposition of governor's rule the government had imposed unannounced ban on the MQM and its activities and the rulers were spending state resources to monitor the activities of Nine-Zero.
Meanwhile, the MQM MNAs Dr Nishat Malik and Ejaz Mehmood condemned the government for their double standards and said the Jamaat-e-Islami workers and leaders who protested against the visit of Indian prime minister and damaged properties were charged in minor offences and immediately shifted to jails, but the police treated the MQM workers inhumanly and tortured them even if they were charged in minor crime.
The MQM parliamentary leader in National Assembly Shaikh Liaquat Hussain demanded of President Rafiq Tarar and Governor Moinuddin Haider to take notice of the police action against the city transporters whose many vehicles were illegally seized for the prime minister's Karachi visit. The MQM MNA Hasan Mussana Alvi appealed to the president and governor Sindh to provide justice to a Korangi resident Kausar and arrest the policemen who raped her.
Sindh Assembly wants end to WAPDA recoveriesKARACHI: The People's Democratic United Workers Alliance (PDUWA) won the referendum in Karachi Electric Supply Corporation by defeating the PML (N)-backed CBA Labour Union held on Tuesday.
According to unofficial results, the elected PDUWA backed by PPP and Muttahida Qaumi Movement got 5,642 votes while the present CBA Labour Union - enjoying the backing of the ruling PML-N, Jama'at-e-Islami and Mohajir Qaumi Movement - could secure 5,209.
The referendum was held peacefully and 10,851 out of the registered 11,415 votes were polled. The polling had started in the morning and concluded within the scheduled time. The PDUWA celebrated its victory after the announcement of the result and distributed sweets while leaders of Labour Union accepted their defeat.
The elected union while bringing out a victory procession on the city roads reached Bilawal House and later at Nine Zero - the MQM's headquarter. The President of PDUWA Aslam Summo, Chairman SM Ishaq termed the success due to the unity of workers who defeated Nawaz Sharif's supporter. The declared to serve workers without any discrimination.
The Chairperson Benazir Bhutto, Sindh PPP chief Nisar Khuhro, Senator Qaim Ali Shah, Sen Raza Rabbani, Khwaja Awan and Pir Mazhar-ul-Haq congratulated the alliance. They said it was a victory of workers against Nawaz govt's anti-workers policy.
The Coordination Committee of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement while congratulating the alliance said it was the victory of Haqparast people. The polling continued during the day peacefully at 24 polling stations set up in KESC centers where banners and posters were mounted and supporters, holding flags and wearing hair bands, chanted slogans.
The city administration, taking special security measures, deployed police contingents at all the polling stations. The leader of Pakistan Democratic United Workers Alliance, Latif Mughal while speaking to workers alleged that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who was city a day earlir, had directed the administration to ensure victory of the present CBA. "But the workers failed the conspiracy," he claimed.
Railways off-load The NewsKARACHI: For reasons best known to Railways loading in charge, several bundles of The News were off-loaded from two up trains on Tuesday. Despatched for Lahore, The News bundles were first off-loaded from Tezgam and then from Khyber Mail. Despite having priority for being newspaper, out of 69 bundles only 30 were loaded on Tezgam while remaining off-loaded on the orders of loading in charge Maroof Khan. Though the matter was duly taken up by The News staffer before the Assistant Station Manager Ghauri, Maroof was not ready to send the entire consignment to Lahore and even off-loaded 17 bundles from the last evening up train, Khyber Mail, while other ordinary cargo was loaded.
Altaf declared proclaimed offenderKARACHI: Additional District Judge (Central) on Tuesday declared MQM chief Altaf Hussain and other party leaders proclaimed offenders in a case of violence, arson and firing on a strike day on July 9, 1995. The case was registered at Gulbahar Police Station. The MQM had given a strike call to protest the murder of Aslam Sabzwari, one of its leaders. Those nominated in the case include apart from Altaf Hussain, Ajmal Dehlvi, Tariq Javed, Kamran Jafery, Abdul Qadir Lakhani, Muhammad Hussain, Shoaib Bukhari, Wakeel Jamali and others. Shoaib Bukhari and Wakeel Jamali are already under arrest in other cases. The court issued notices to the jail superintendent of Karachi Central Prison for not producing the accused at the Tuesday hearing. The jail officials have been asked to produce the accused at the next hearing on March 9.
ASI, bandit injured in encounterASI, bandit injured in encounterKARACHI: An ASI of Anti Dacoity Robbery Cell (ADRC) of Distt Malir and an armed man were injured in an encounter in Quaidabad on Tuesday. Police arrested two and claimed recovery of a TT pistol and a revolver. An ADRC mobile van was fired at by two armed men near Dawood Chali in Quaidabad which left ASI Deedar Ali inujured. Police replied the fire and arrested them. The ASI was taken to JPMC. During the interrogation accused disclosed their name as Nisar and Mehraman. Meanwhile, a constable of CIA of Distt Malir was injured in a brief encounter with drug peddlars at Shirin Jinnah Colony in Clifton police limits. On a tip about a drug den a mobile van of CIA raided it at which the drug paddlers opened fire and injured Constable Muhammad Irfan. Policemen returned the fire arrested an injured drug paddler, while his other accomplices managed to escape. The injured cop was shifted to JPMC. The injured accused disclosed his name as Javed.
Bandits kill security guard, 16 vehicles taken awayKARACHI: Bandits looted cash and killed a private security guard in Gulbhar police limits on Tuesday while a man was injured on resistance in Mochko. Besides armed men looted cash, jewellery, electrical appliances and snatched 16 vehicles from various parts of the city.
Three armed men, riding a motorcycle, intercepted a Suzuki Pick-up (KF-5044) of Tapal Tea Co near Gujjar Nala, Nazimabad. On gun point they looted Rs25,000 from its driver Sohail and when security guard Alam Shair, 25, resisted they opened fire and fled along with cash and a TT pistol. The injured succumbed to the wound while area people were taking him to Abbasi Shaheed.
Three armed men barged into Deen Muhammad's house in Yusuf Goth in Mochko. They locked the inmates in a room and were fleeing after collecting cash, jewellery and valuables when Deen resisted but they opened fire at and injured him.
Three armed men intercepted the vehicle (ACA-788) of Javed Sultan in F B Area in New Karachi Industrial Area police station and looted Rs 200,000 while he was returning to his factory from a bank.
Bandits looted Rs 525,000 from Rayees Abbas in Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Rs13,000, jewellery and electrical appliances from Muhammad Ismail's house in Shershah; Rs26,000, jewellery and valuables from Shamshad's house in North Nazimabad; Rs60,000, jewellery and electrical appliances from a house in Gulshan-e-Iqbal and cash and valuables from one Haider Ali in Airport. Carlifters took away four Suzuki pick-ups, two cars and 10 motorcycles.
KARACHI: KMC abandons Guru Mandir flyover projectISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Tuesday observed that the contempt proceedings against the November 28, 1997 rowdies was still in the pre-preliminary stage and the bench had yet to determine whether to frame charges against the respondents or not.
A three-member special Supreme Court bench asked Deputy Attorney General (DAG) Tanvir Bashir Ansari to assist as officer of the court in the matter in determining whether to consider the apologies tendered by the respondents or there were any evidence or no evidence against them.
The bench comprising Justice Nasir Aslam Zahid, Justice Munawwar Ahmad Mirza and Justice Abdur Rahman Khan took exception to the absence of the DAG who appeared before the court only at the last moment as he was summoned by the chief justice in another case. To await the presence of Ansari, the bench asked the counsel of the respondents to read the statements of their clients.
"Kindly make preparations for tomorrow, otherwise we will postpone the proceedings and make a reference to the chief justice about the state of affairs," Justice Nasir Aslam Zahid warned DAG Yawar, who told the court about Ansari's pre-occupation.
Justice Zahid pointed out that Ansari was put on notice Monday and the court wanted his presence as he was in the picture about the proceedings. When DAG Yawar told the court that he would be available in the absence of Ansari, the bench replied that these were ad hoc arrangements. "Ansari who also came late on Monday should be here as only the rowdyism case has been fixed before this bench," the justice viewed. When he appeared before the court, Ansari extended his apologies with an assurance that he would not repeat what had happened due to his shortcomings.
Ansari who has divided the 26 respondents in different categories suggesting those who were inside the courtroom and those outside the courtroom, and members of the police and the administration, will argue the case today.
Almost, all the respondents have tendered their unconditional and unqualified apologies before the court. Meanwhile, the divide between the members of the administration and the police became wider when Jamil Hashmi, SHO Secretariat Police Station, told the court that it was the responsibility of the district administration present there to assess the situation and give a firm order for use of force. He stated that Assistant Commissioner Chaudhry Mohammad Ali had also conceded in his statement that the idea of using tear gas was considered but dropped as it could have aggravated the situation. Jamil Hashmi admitted that if force was used, the mob might not have entered the court premises. He also pointed out that the police were demoralised as two of its senior officers were dismissed on the complaint of a politician when some people had jumped over the prime minister's vehicle on November 17.
"When a district magistrate is present, he has to decide about the use of force. The police officers cannot act by themselves," he added. However, the bench observed that the police could not allow the crowd to take over the court building.
Munir Paracha, counsel of Jamil Hashmi, also submitted before the court that it was highly doubtful that a person who was entrusted to check a person committing contempt, himself committed the same crime. That person could be proceeded against under the efficiency and disciplinary rules but not under the contempt charges, he added.
The bench remarked that if he facilitated a person to commit the contempt then he should also be considered guilty of that crime. To clarify his position, AC Muhammad Ali, himself appeared at the rostrum and told the court that he had informed the district magistrate to reach the spot as the situation was becoming tense. Besides, he himself shouted to the police to stop the mob who were forcing their entry by breaking the outer gates but the response of the police was sluggish. The AC said he was with Senator Iqbal Haider, who was attacked by some persons, and escorted him to the judges entry gates. In the meantime, the people started jumping over the gates. He rushed, scaled over the walls and himself pushed the people outside the gates. The AC also presented press photographs to prove his point.
However, the mob had stormed into the court before the arrival of the district magistrate, he added. He also stated that the police force had left their positions and he reported this fact to the commissioner. "Whatever effort we could put in to block the mob from entering, we did," he said.
K M Samdani, representing the police officers, emphasized that almost all the respondents had tendered apologies which should be taken into consideration and accepted as being civil servants throughout their career remained beholders of the courts. Asking to remain vigilant was something different instead of giving specific orders, he insisted.
Earlier, Mushtaq Ali Tahirkheli told the court that he remained inside the courtroom on that date and there was no evidence against him besides he never committed or thought of committing contempt of the court and respected the judiciary.
The statements of MPAs Akhtar Mahmood, Sardar Naseem, Shahbaz Goshi, president Nawaz Sharif Force, former registrar SC Zakaullah, Hussain Haqqani and Altaf Hussain Bhatti were also read out. The court also allowed exemption from personal appearance to the respondents, represented by their counsel.
22 missiles recovered from Kurram AgencyPESHAWAR: Kurram Agency administration has recovered 22 different kinds of missiles from a nullah near village Kutri. A raiding team was formed under the directives of Political Agent, Kurram Agency and was sent towards village Kutri/Terri Mangal. The team besieged and then combed the area and recovered 22 different kinds of missiles from a nullah near village Kutri. The missiles were taken into custody and brought to Parachinar. According to preliminary inquiry, it was revealed that these missiles were brought from Afghanistan by Saeed Kamal, ex-Afghan warlord of Jamiat-e-Islami of Professor Rabbani and were being smuggled to down districts, however, the political administration of the Agency foiled the attempt.
PESHAWAR: Mohmand tribes threaten to blow up transformers