KARACHI: Tribunal seeks films of Nishtar Park blast
By Shujaat Ali Khan
KARACHI, June 5: The tribunal investigating the Nishtar Park carnage of April 11 asked the senior superintendent of police for security on Monday to produce the footage recorded by closed-circuit television cameras installed along the main Eid-i-Milad procession route.
The CCTVs were required to be installed under instructions issued by the inspector-general of police on April 6, and SSP (Security) Ameen Yusufzai informed the tribunal that he had conveyed them to the town police officers concerned, whose duty it was to carry them out.
The security department has no CCTV sets and it was for the TPOs to procure and install the equipment. He said he received compliance reports from the TPOs generally but did not verify whether cameras were installed and films were made. The tribunal, which consists of Justice Rahmat Hussain Jafferi, asked the SSP to locate the films and produce them on Tuesday.
The tribunal, which has received Saddar TPO Sanaullah Abbasi’s report on the jamming of mobile phones immediately after the incident, commenced its proceedings with recording the testimony and examination-in-chief of the SSP, who would continue his deposition on Tuesday.
The tribunal clarified at the outset that the observations made by it should not be treated as ‘findings’ by the media. The whole purpose of the exercise was to ascertain the truth and it was too early to reach any conclusion.
The SSP said he was responsible for making security arrangements under the supervision and control of the chief capital police officer and the deputy inspector-general for operations. Meeting at various levels were held to make the necessary arrangements from the last week of March. A couple of them were presided over by the provincial governor and attended by the home minister and the secretary. Organizers of the Milad processions and other religious scholars and representatives of the city district government, the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board, the Karachi Electricity Supply Corporation and other utilities were among the participants.
Shah Turabul Haq Qadri of Jamaat Ahle Sunnat was issued a no-objection certificate for holding a ‘jalsa’ (public meeting) at Nishtar Park on April 11 evening under Section 120 of the Police Order of 2002. Questioned whether police were empowered to issue a non-objection certificate in respect of a meeting in a park, the SSP said the final permission was granted by the city district government. The tribunal pointed out that under Section 120 of the Police Order only police could issue no-objection certificates in respect of processions on public roads and streets and thoroughfares.
The SSP said permission for the main Milad procession was also granted to Shah Turab by the capital police officer. In all, about 1,000 no-objection certificates were issued at the town police level for religious gatherings culminating in the main event on the 12th of Rabiul Awwal (April 11). All certificates were subject to certain terms and conditions, including adherence to the approved route and abstention from unruly behaviour and provocative slogans. The proceedings were adjourned for about 15 minutes to enable the SSP to produce the original copies of Shah Turab’s application for permission and other relevant documents, which are to be exhibited on record.
Two processions, the SSP testified, were to be taken out from near the Boulton Market and Memon Masjid on M.A Jinnah Road and Shah Turab requested at a meeting that Maulana Asghar Dars be asked to bring out his rally well in time so that the procession arranged by him could also come out without delay.
Replying to a question by the tribunal, the SSP denied that there was a clash when the Maulana’s procession was delayed. There might have been an altercation but he was unaware of it, he said.
The SSP said 1,680 police personnel, including 30 assistant and deputy superintendents, were detailed on security duty on April 11. Besides, there were 320 reservists. They were drawn from 19 towns of Karachi and the various branches of police. In addition to a contingency plan prepared by the capital police, all TPOs issued contingency plans for areas in their remit. There were 185 mobile vans and 157 motorcycles at the disposal of the force. Forty-three processions were taken out on April 10, a day before Eid-i-Milad. Besides the regular control room, a special control room was established at the central police office. Control rooms were also set up at the town level.
The tribunal observed that the provincial police officer had issued fairly comprehensive instructions and asked the witness whether they were strictly followed. The SSP said the TPOs sent compliance reports but he did not verify whether the instructions were actually complied with. The deputy inspector-general (operations), he believed, must have done the verification. The instructions, among other measures, called for the presence of bomb disposal squads round the clock, search and checking of all vehicles, extensive survey of the procession routes, and protection of property, diplomatic missions and minority religious institutions along the route. The police were to remain in constant touch with the organizers and alternative traffic routes were to be publicised for the benefit of the public. Closed-circuit TVs were to be installed all along the route.
The SSP said his task was to convey the instructions and it was for the TPOs to ensure compliance with them. Replying to a question, he said the instructions meant for the public were given the widest possible publicity through newspapers and other media.
