Dear reader, online ads enable us to deliver the journalism you value. Please support us by taking a moment to
Govt seeks pardon for 5 Rangers personnel convicted of killing student in Karachi
The provincial authorities have sent a petition to the president seeking pardon for the five Rangers personnel who were convicted by Anti-Terrorism Court over charges of killing a student in Karachi in 2011, it emerged on Sunday.
The young man was shot at by the Rangers personnel at Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Park in Boat Basin area of Clifton in 2011 and was then left to die inside the park.
The officials in Sindh Home Department and Inspector General of Prisons office told Dawn on Sunday that a month ago, the “petition to grant pardon and remit/commute sentences of Rangers personnel under Article-45 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan” was sent to the president.
The fatal shooting was filmed by a cameraman and telecast on various TV channels, sparking a public backlash over the brutality of trained paramilitary troops.
Families of the convicted Rangers personnel approached the prison officials, subsequently, the IGP Prisons sent an application to the Home Department, the officials said.
The Home Department Secretary then submitted a summary before the Sindh chief minister, which was approved and sent to the Governor House.
As per procedure, the Governor’s House has moved the summary to the prime minister’s house to seek opinion and submit the same before the president for the pardon of the convicted personnel.
A section of media on Sunday reported that the president has granted pardon to the convicted Rangers personnel namely Shahid Zafar, Muhammad Afzal Khan, Baha-ur-Rehman, Muhammad Tariq and Manthar Ali.
However, Dawn talked to four officials in the home department and the Central Prisons Karachi who confirmed that the pardon petition was moved a month ago, but so far the provincial authorities concerned have not received any official confirmation of the president’s pardon.
It may be recalled that Constable Shahid Zafar was awarded the death penalty and his colleagues were jailed for life for the murder under Section 302 of the Pakistan Penal Code and Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 1997.
The killing of Sarfraz Shah had triggered public outcry, prompting the then chief justice of Pakistan, Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, to take suo moto notice in this regard.
Subsequently, the both the Rangers chief and the Sindh IGP were removed over orders of the supreme court.
In 2013, Rangers personnel had shot dead a taxi driver in a Gulistan-i-Jauhar locality when he reportedly failed to stop his car after being asked to do so by the officials.
Comments (64) Closed
This was the worst thing I saw in my life. There should be no pardons here. People need to pay for their mistakes and justice must be done otherwise the President is sending the wrong message out i.e. that it is okay to kill as you will be pardoned. Enough is enough, it has to start somewhere otherwise no one will be afraid of the law.
Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere
Pardoning them shows the hypocricy of this Government. These blood hounds killed an innocent student who was begging for hs life, and they killed him in cold blood.
Are you kidding me? It was a cold blooded murder!
It seems to me that everyone who kills someone in Pakistan eventually gets pardoned. What is going on?
Granting a pardon to law enforcement officials for a murder they did will set a wrong precedence. Nobody is above the law. On the flip side, it should be the Rangers authorities that should not support any application for pardon in this case as it will show that Rangers believe in justice for EVERYONE!
Misuse of power, cold blood murder does not merit pardon.
President should have no authority to grant a pardon. He is not the aggreived party and Islamically the only people who can grant a pardon are the immediate relatives of the deceased. U der what jurisdiction is this made a Presidential right....unless there is no immediate member alive.
No pardon please. They committed insane act
Punish culprits whatsoever in order to enforce laws.
It is shocking that there can be even a suggestion of a “pardon” for cold blooded murder. There is no justice in Pakistan. The country is simply unlivable.
This was a cold blood murder by a trigger-happy soldier in daylight. I remember the incident. The boy was begging for mercy. I remember the boy was calling the soldier " BHAI ", and yet he shot him. The soldier is either sick or arrogant trigger happy murderer. NO PARDON,
Absolutely no pardons, no one is above the law.
No way! They should not be pardoned. This law itself is incorrect, only the legal heirs of the murdered should have the right to pardon the killer(s), Not President or anybody else.
This will be blow to the justice system and the President of Pakistan if he pardon these convicted paramilitary personnel. I hope this will not happen.
When he was disarmed, they should not have fired at him. This is a brutality! I agree that he did not stop but was he armed? No and the armed personnel took undo advantage of being armed and showed a psyche mentality at firing. So, no pardon for him or them if they (one or more than one) killed him. Must be set an example for the personnel and they must learn that if someone is unarmed they must not fire at anybody until they make sure that the person does not intend to use any arm.
People only get lesson when something happens to them or their loved ones! I pray to The All Mighty to teach them a lesson-Ameen!
Why pardon them? Set an example by punishing the convicted personnel so that it does not happen again.
Save the institutions and let the law to prevail.
Ask any Karachiite and we would tell you the Rangers are the city's heroes and saviors. They were never supposed to take a chance with armed and funded terrorists paid to destroy the peace of Pakistan's largest city and paralyze it. I am for pardon all the way. Let us see if the Baldia culprits (backed by politicians) who burnt hundreds of poor people alive get a sentence. Highly unlikely. By the way, wonder why the cameraman did nothing to help the dying man if he thought he deserved help.
If they were to pardon, what was the reason for the trial at a cost of millions of rupees.
No pardons.
Why did the family members move the mercy petition?
It was a courageous and a brave judgment by Ex. CJ of Pakistan Mr. Chudery. It was a cold-blooded killing by the same people who were getting paid to save and protect people like Sarfraz Shah. That murder brought a shame to the Pakistani Nation.
Nope ! Responsible people and especially convicted felons should be punished irrespective of their affiliations . The powerful should not pardoned !
What is wrong is wrong as no one above the law. they committed crime and have to be punished.
This poor boy was brutally murdered by the convicted persons. Why should there be any mercy for the murders. Justice should be done.
The concerned Families and Govt should be ashamed to even expect pardon and entertain such requests!.
no pardons, this is a murder in cold blood by people who knew how to handle guns. no one should be above the law, period.
Under the Islamic provisions, the power to grant pardon to the convict rests with the immediate relatives of the victims.
The guy killed that day was neither a student nor innocent, if anything he was just a petty thug who used to snatch the purses and handbags from women in and around the Bin Qasim Park and on that day he tried to or successfully snatched the handbag of a woman who was family member of a police officer. He was caught with a dummy gun (one could hear him making this claim while confessing his mistake!) The Rangers perhaps over reacted and shot him dead. Death of anyone at any time is a sad affair and such circumstances it is even worse.
No pardon, period. Next Sharif and other culprits would request pardon, what then?
I think the other side of the story must also be heard from those rangers guys. Something must have happened for them to act on that manner. I am not saying they were justified at this point, but what actually led them to the action ? And did the 5 act on the order of their higher officer, in which case it is the higher officer to blame ?
Besides that all, Karachi was almost in a state of civil crisis as a result of political backed bori mafia. So there was a lot going on at the time.
No Pardon for these Rifle guys Unfortunately, Pakistan os worst in Justice. Blood is same of poor and wealthy. It should be change. Justice is right of everyone.
No pardon for killers! Period!
He was not student. He had gun and looting citizens
That's brutal
Why is the government asking for a pardon? they are prosecutors, not defense lawyers!
What message are we giving to the world that killers of innocent people are pardoned in our country. This will never happen in civilized world.
I have just seen the video of the incident, it was really brutal. No justification on granting pardon. It was a group of armed personnel showing the naked power of authority over a defenseless person.
No need to pardon these animals. They killed an unarmed Human as seen in the pictures.
The killing of the innocent man who was begging for mercy is so unpardonable that the home department should not even have sent the petition to the president for pardoning.Whoever saw the horrific scenes on the TV screen will not forget those scenes for the rest of their lives.It is totally and completely unacceptable that these rangers be pardoned, the punishment handed over to them should be implemented forthwith.It is requested to the advisers of the president that they should advise the president to reject the petition and the president should be bold enough to comply with their advice.The rangers are respected by people when they perform good for the society, but they are not above the law when they commit cold blooded murder.
how do these people qualify for pardon? The crime committed by personnel of security services is even more unpardonable.
Not only was he left to bleed to death, a case was also registered against him.
This is not only first degree murder but also abuse of power given to them by the government. It will set extremely bad precedence if these murderers are not given exemplary punishment, let alone proposing acquittal.
Do the IG Prison, Sindh, CM have any shame? How can they even think of considering pardon for these Ranger personnel who were involve in this cold blooded murder.
cold blooded murder
Cold blooded murder committed by Rangers
Cold blooded murder conducted blatantly in the eye of the camera shows indifference to human life and societal standards. It just cannot be pardoned. Otherwise all criminals should be released and the justice system wrapped up and thrown away.
Justice delayed is justice denied
The law enforcers turned law breakers must get double the punishment than ordinary people.
Who permitted Rangers to kill a citizen of Pakistan. Every one should be brought to docks who commits crime.
Why pardon for paramilitary troops?
Would police personnel have been similarly pardoned had they committed this 'crime'?
I think 'no'
There should be no mockery of law.
The same law should be applicable on everyone.
Good decision.The boy was having pistol in hand while you know the situations. He was taking a pistol in a public park. Why we misunderstood and take half things.
a bad move... on one hand u call for law and order situation and on other u ask for pardon.
@N_Saq Do you know the whole case? May be the student in question was guilty in the first place and stupid camera man was not in time to hear the scene unfurl from the beginning. Furthermore, people should stop when told to do so by the forces.
Make no mistake about it we Pakistani love our Armed forces forever and ever, so many soldiers and officers have lost their lives to protect our nation. We will never forget. No news will offset our love for our beloved Pak Armed Forces. True defenders of our nation.
It was sad what happened, convicted criminals are criminals be it Rangers or Politicians.
RIP Innocent soul may your family gets justice Inshallah.
@Karachiite Well said. Love live Sindh Rangers.
RIP Innocent soul may his family get justice.
There should be no pardon for killing a person when he/she can be arrested.
Justice must prevail!
Justice must prevail
Cry out for humanity. The casual indifference!
Pardon is followed by a Mercy Petition from the convicted man or by his family. A government asking for a pardon is unheard of. It is the job of the State to do justice in accordance with the law: no more, no less.
@Arshad Even if was carrying a pistol , there was no probable cause to murder the guy in cold blood. Furthermore if you saw the video he was left in a pool of blood to die, due to blood loss. They did not even bothered to take him to hospital. That is called murder in the first-degree.