KARACHI, June 26: The Sindh High Court on Tuesday put the home secretary and provincial police and Rangers chiefs on notice in a petition against targeted killings in the metropolis since 2009.

A division bench headed by Chief Justice Mushir Alam also issued notices to the federal and provincial law officers and put off the hearing to a date to be later announced by the court’s office after the court’s summer vacation. The petition was filed by a civil rights campaigner, Syed Iqbal Kazmi, who impleaded the home secretary, inspector-general of police, Sindh, and director-general of the Sindh Rangers as respondents.

On Tuesday the petitioner, who represents his case himself, filed an application for the hearing of the petition on a day-to-day basis in the public interest. He stated in his application that he had escaped an attempt on his life on June 23 when he was fired upon by terrorists within the remit of the Malir City police station.

He said that the attackers opened straight fire on his car and fled the scene when the policeman guarding him retaliated immediately. He stated that one of the attackers was also wounded in the retaliatory firing, but he was taken away by his associates.

He said that the damage caused to his car in the attack spoke volumes for the gravity of the incident.

The bench directed the provincial law officer to call the investigation report into the incident and submit it in court by the next hearing.

In his petition against targeted killing, Mr Kazmi submitted that more than 773 persons were killed by terrorists in the city during this year.

He said that the police and other law-enforcement agencies failed to protect the life and liberty of the citizens though Article 9 of the Constitution guaranteed protection to citizens, while Article 4 assured that every individual had the right to be dealt with in accordance with the law.

The petitioner stated that 10 to 15 persons were being killed by terrorists daily in the city and as many as 96 people had been killed in June so far.

He mentioned that 98 persons were killed in January, 115 in February, 117 in March, 165 in April and 182 citizens lost their lives in May.

Missing person’s case

The same bench issued notices to the home secretary, the Sindh police chief, Rangers director-general, chiefs of intelligence agencies and others in a petition seeking whereabouts of a man who was allegedly taken away by the law-enforcement agencies.

The petition was filed by Faisal Rasheed, who submitted that his father was going to Swat from Karachi in a passenger bus but he was intercepted by law-enforcement agencies personnel at Sukkur.

He said that the law-enforcers took his father away and since then his whereabouts have not been known.

The petitioner submitted that he approached the Sukkur police but they feigned ignorance about the detention of his father, who, according to him, was not affiliated with any political or religious party.

He prayed to the court to direct the respondents to produce his father in court and order his release if he was not required in any case.

The bench issued notices to the respondents and the federal and provincial law officers directing them to file their respective comments within two weeks.

The next date of hearing will be announced later by the court’s office.