KARACHI: The provincial government on Monday conceded in the Sindh High Court that the law enforcement agencies could not track down the network of a large number of militants who moved to Karachi following different operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Advocate General Abdul Fatah Malik made the statement in a report submitted before a two-judge bench that was seized with the hearing of seven identical petitions against the alleged extrajudicial killings of as many as 12 workers of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement in the ongoing operation in the city.

The bench comprised Justices Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Shahnawaz Tariq.

The provincial government’s chief law officer told the judges that the police and law enforcement agencies could not find a clue to the network of terrorists despite all possible efforts.

He informed the court that the chief minister convened two meetings and seriously discussed the issue of extrajudicial killing in pursuance of the court’s order.

He said that the CM had directed the provincial chiefs of police and Rangers to maintain the highest standard of professionalism so that no human rights violation occurred.

AG Fatah said that the provincial government was always vigilant that no extrajudicial killing occurred or even any suspect was subjected to torture.

He stated in the report that as a result of various operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a large number of militants had shifted to Karachi and despite their best efforts the law enforcement agencies could not find their network; however, they were struggling to maintain law and order in the city and apprehend the terrorists.

The chief law officer said that a number of Rangers and police personnel had lost their lives in the ongoing operation.

The court earlier on May 29 had directed the advocate general to take up the matter with the chief minister, home secretary, Rangers director general, Sindh police chief and other officers concerned so that a viable mechanism, acceptable to all, may be devised for discovering the truth and preventing such incident.

During the hearing, counsel for the Muttahida Advocate Hasnain Bukhari said that the party was not against the operation against terrorists and militants, but innocent people were being killed on its pretext.

The law officer said that Muttahida had launched an adverse propaganda against the ongoing operation.

He said that the operation was not the reason behind the killing of the Muttahida workers, rather they were being killed due to personal reasons.

Published in Dawn, July 15th, 2014