KARACHI: Sindh govt terms for new FIR : Karsaz carnage
By Our Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Oct 27: The Sindh home department has decided, in principle, to allow the police to register another FIR on behalf of the Pakistan People’s Party in respect of the October 18 twin bombings only if the political party provides more information than already contained in the FIR registered by the Bahadurabad police station house officer on behalf of the state.
An official said the provincial government had formally forwarded its opinion to the Sindh police, which sought its view after the PPP chairperson sent a written request to the Bahadurabad police for the registration of a separate FIR.
“Our law division has suggested that if there is any additional element pointed out by the party or if there is some extra information included in its request, there is no harm in registering another FIR,” said Sindh Home Secretary Brigadier (retd) Ghulam Mohammed Mohtaram.
“We also suggested that there is no need for a separate FIR if there are no new facts in the PPP complaint,” he added.
He said it depended on the police authorities to decide as the home department was responsible for forwarding its opinion as sought by the Sindh police.
The Bahadurabad police registered an FIR (183/2007) a few hours after the suicide attack on the former prime minister’s motorcade, which killed more than 140 people and left over 400 injured.
The police’s action, however, did not satisfy the PPP leadership, which wanted the case filed on behalf of its chairperson. However, the police refused to register a separate FIR of the same case but agreed to incorporate a written request from Ms Bhutto in the investigation process.
The police said the PPP leader did not name any accused behind the attacks, neither did she provide any extra leads. The Sindh police later sought an opinion from the provincial home department.
A senior police official, however, expressed his lack of knowledge about the law department’s opinion. He said the decision would have to be made by the SHO Bahadurabad after receiving such information from the provincial government.
“He (SHO Bahadurabad) knows best about both sections incorporated in the state FIR and requested by the PPP in its complaint,” said Capital City Police Officer Azhar Ali Farooqi.
The FIR was registered by the Bahadurabad police on behalf of the state under Sections 324 (attempt to commit Qatl-i-Amd), 302 (Qatl-i-Amd), 427/34 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees) of the Pakistan Penal Code and Sections 3 (punishment for causing explosion likely to endanger life or property) and 4 (punishment for attempt to cause explosion or for making or keeping explosives with [the] intent to endanger life or property) of the Explosive Substances Act 1908 against unknown persons.
