KARACHI: The SSP (East zone) on Tuesday informed the Sindh High Court that 31 FIRs were registered and around 160 suspects had been arrested so far in connection with the June 6 violence during a protest demonstration against Bahria Town Karachi (BTK) at its housing project.

The SSP’s report was placed before a two-judge bench headed by Justice Yousuf Ali Sayeed and was taken on record. A copy of the report was provided to the counsel for petitioners.

In his report, the SSP stated that the Karachi police chief had constituted a special investigation team headed by the DIG (East) for further probe.

The petitioners, leaders of several nationalist groups, have contended that they were being victimised at the hands of provincial and police authorities as multiple FIRs were registered against them over the single violent incident. This, they argued, was not only against the law and several judgements of the apex court, but also misuse of power by state functionaries.

An additional prosecutor general submitted in court that further time was required to file the Malir SSP’s comments on the petition. He also sought time to prepare himself for the legal question raised in the matter. He undertook to assist the court on the next hearing.

The bench adjourned the hearing for a date to be fixed by its office later.

The police report has mentioned that the Sindh Action Committee (SAC) had given a call for a sit-in at BTK on June 6 during which protesters/mob allegedly chanted anti-state slogans and intruded into the BTK area. They damaged and set properties ablaze.

It stated that 31 FIRs were registered against the suspects including one each lodged by BTK security staff and the toll plaza management (Frontier Works Organisation).

Seven of the total 161 detained suspects were set free for lack of evidence and the SSP Malir had been tasked with arrest of absconding suspects, it added.

The police report has informed the bench that Sindh Taraqqi-pasand Party chairman Dr Qadir Magsi, Sindh United Party chairman Syed Jalal Mehmood Shah, Jeay Sindh Mahaz leader Abdul Khaliq Junejo and chairman of its breakaway faction Riaz Chandio, Sindh Indigenous Rights Alliance leader Gul Hassan Kalmati and about 10 others have obtained their pre-arrest bail but they have not joined the investigation yet.

The petitioners have pleaded to declare all the FIRs, except for the first one, illegal and restrain the respondents from registering more cases. They also asked for the formation of a joint investigation team (JIT) to probe the matter.

Published in Dawn, July 23rd, 2021