Karachi: The Sindh High Court on Tuesday rejected an unconditional apology tendered by Gulam Haider Jamali, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), expressing its dissatisfaction in the case of a police siege on an anti-terrorism court (ATC) last week.
Chief Justice of SHC, Syed Sajjad Ali Shah, who was presiding over the hearing, in his remarks reprimanded the IGP for not taking action against the police officers involved in the siege.
The chief justice had taken the suo moto action against the police brutalities during the bail appearance of Zulfiqar Mirza, the former home minister, in the ATC.
Police commandos, wearing black masks, surrounded the court and several of them beat up the cameramen and journalists who were covering the highly charged political event that marked Mirza’s tussle with Asif Ali Zardari, the former president.
Taking notice of the police high-handedness, the SHC had summoned the IGP as well as the home secretary to appear in the court with their appropriate replies to justify the police action.
The deputy inspector-general of the southern district as well as the senior superintendent of police in the area were also ordered to appear.
IG Jamali told the court that the station house officer (SHO) of the concerned police station and the special service unit (SSU) were suspended, besides 12 other SSU officials.
The court was further told that an inquiry was constituted into the incident.
However, the chief justice expressed his dissatisfaction over the action the IG took, and remarked that was insufficient keeping in view the prestige and honour of the court.
Justice Shah also remarked that the registrar of SHC called up the senior police officials but none of them were available until late at night on that day.
He further said police laxity begins when officers cease to act as police and start acting as agents (of the political parties).
The chief justice said that the IG was responsible for the whole incident and warned that the court would take stern action against him.
