KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Friday issued notices to the provincial home secretary, inspector general of police and other respondents on a petition seeking formation of a joint investigation team (JIT) to probe the killing of a local leader of the Jeay Sindh Tehreek and protection to his family.

A two-judge SHC bench headed by Justice Aftab Ahmed Gorar also directed the Sindh advocate general, prosecutor general and the investigating officer of the case to appear on Feb 18 along with the police file.

Khalid Ranjhani, through his lawyer, moved the SHC stating that his brother, Irshad Ranjhani, JST’s city leader, was killed by Abdul Rahim Shah, chairman of a union council, on Feb 6 in Malir district in an alleged mugging incident.

He said that the police booked his brother in an attempted robbery case.

Protection sought for Ranjhani’s family, witnesses of the incident

The petitioner submitted that the victim sustained five bullet wounds and was left to die as in a viral video the UC chairman was seen not allowing onlookers and police to shift the injured Ranjhani to hospital.

He alleged that the UC chairman had also made the police helpless.

He maintained that the police arrested Rahim Shah in the robbery case and not in the case he got registered under Section 302 (premeditated murder) of the Pakistan Penal Code read with Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act.

Impleading the provincial home secretary, IGP Sindh, Karachi police chief, SSP Malir, the UC chairman and others as respondents, the petitioner asked the court to direct the authorities concerned to constitute a JIT to probe the killing and also provide protection to the family of the victim, petitioner and the witnesses of the incident.

Arrest of UC chairman in murder case sought

The administrative judge of antiterrorism courts in Karachi on Friday directed the prosecutor general and a complainant to appear on Feb 18 in a matter pertaining to the death of Ranjhani.

A lawyer for the deceased’s family moved an application asking the court to direct the police to arrest the UC chairman in the main case lodged on the complaint of the elder Ranjhani.

On Friday, Investigating Officer Mehboob Bilal informed the administrative judge that they had already obtained the remand of the UC chairman in a qatl-bis-sabab (manslaughter) case.

The IO submitted that there was a ruling of the apex court that two FIRs of one incident could not be lodged.

However, the IO claimed that the second FIR of the incident was lodged on the complaint of the deceased’s brother due to “pressure” from higher authorities.

The administrative judge directed the prosecutor general and the complainant to appear on Monday.

Plan to deal with heavy traffic

Another two-judge SHC bench on Friday directed the Karachi mayor, commissioner and others to inform on March 12 about the timeline to implement a plan submitted to address the issues of heavy vehicles and deteriorating traffic situation in Karachi.

The Karachi commissioner submitted a compliance report before the SHC over the issues of heavy vehicles and deteriorating traffic situation in the provincial metropolis.

He submitted that all stakeholders had come up with a comprehensive plan. The report suggested short- and long-terms plans.

Published in Dawn, February 16th, 2019