KARACHI: The Sindh government opposed on Tuesday the Rangers’ demand for creation of separate police stations with prosecution powers and extension of special policing powers for at least a year, arguing in the Supreme Court that the proposal almost suggested creation of a parallel system of criminal justice.

While giving observation on the provincial government’s stance, a five-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali remarked that it was avoiding passing any order as the matter was of an administrative nature.

The court directed the federal and provincial governments and other stakeholders to decide the matters pertaining to policing powers for the Rangers and their demand for establishment of their own police stations to investigate and prosecute cases of the accused arrested by them.

The Rangers in a report had requested the court to order the authorities concerned to allow them to set up their own police station with powers to register FIRs, investigate the cases and submit charge-sheets. It further requested the court to direct the provincial government to extend Rangers’ powers under Anti-Terrorism Act for at least one year.

The bench, which also comprised Justices Amir Hani Muslim, Shaikh Azmat Saeed, Faisal Arab and Khilji Arif Hussain, asked the federal and provincial governments and other stakeholders to search for a solution to address Rangers’ reservations, adding that confrontation among institutions should end as it was not in the public interest.

Sindh Chief Secretary Siddique Memon placed on record the reply of the provincial government to the Rangers submissions.

The government’s reply said that Rangers’ proposal involved constitutional and legal intricacies that would need to be addressed with due diligence and care. “The proposal almost suggests creation of a parallel system of criminal justice and hence requires commensurate evaluation and scrutiny.”

As for the Rangers’ demand for extension in policing powers for at least one year, the provincial government’s top official said in the reply that the ATA did not envisage any provision as to the timeframe of continuing to solicit assistance from Pakistan Rangers. “The government of Sindh is of the view that the extensions of the specific periods are appropriate. The period of 90 days was fixed in consultation with concerned.”

At the outset of the hearing, Inspector General of Police Ghulam Hyder Jamali took strong exception to remarks by a bench member who had said to the IGP: “You should not be in uniform.”

He said that the judge’s remarks about him were widely reported in the print and electronic media. “Dignity of man is universal,” he said, referring to Article 14 of the Constitution.

The chief justice observed that the IGP may move an application in this regard.

Later, the provincial police chief placed a fresh report stating that there were 159 target killings in the city, of which 89 cases were registered. There were 39 alleged target killers arrested, of whom 15 were killed in shootouts.

However, this report was also rejected and the bench asked the IGP to submit a detailed report on the cases of the target killings. The court directed him to submit a list of prisoners released on parole since 2012.

The CJP expressed displeasure over the release of two convicts of a kidnapping case. Junaid and Farooq were released on parole even though their sentences were to end in 2027 and 2025.

The bench adjourned the hearing to March 10.

Published in Dawn, March 9th, 2016