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KARACHI, Nov 7: On the eve of the imposition of emergency rule in the country, police were instructed to desist from arresting any leaders or activists of the Pakistan People’s Party, the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (F) and the Awami National Party, Dawn has learnt from reliable sources.
Despite the widespread crackdown witnessed against any opposition to the Nov 3 decision, a senior police officer said on the condition of anonymity that “as far as the Sindh police is concerned, we were clearly told not to go after the leaders and activists of the PPP, the JUI-F and the ANP. The exclusion of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, which is in the ruling coalition, was obviously understood.”
No specific directives were issued regarding journalists, except that they should be dealt with strictly if they came out on the roads to protest. It is pertinent to mention here that five photo-journalists were arrested outside the Karachi Press Club on Monday.
Arrests without warrants
The soft stance shown towards the three select parties did not extend to other political parties, lawyers or members of civil society. Following the imposition of emergency rule on Saturday, police took brutal action against the legal fraternity and arrested hundreds of lawyers from the Sindh High Court and the City Courts. Representatives of the legal community – whose role during the past few months received special attention in the Provisional Constitution Order (PCO) – were targeted to the extent that some leaders were arrested from their residences.
Similarly, leaders and activists of the Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) were picked in a similar manner when the police raided their houses. It is worth noting that under the emergency rule currently imposed in the country, police no longer require the arrest warrants that are normally a prerequisite for such sting operations.
According to the official figures, 510 people have been arrested since Saturday in Sindh: 91 lawyers, 414 politicians and five journalists. Of these, 331 arrests were made in Karachi of which 46 of the people taken into police custody were lawyers (44 from Zone South and two from Zone East). Similarly, 120 politicians were picked up from Karachi’s Zone West, 32 from Zone East and 128 from Zone South.
However, representatives of various political parties and lawyers’ associations dispute the official figures and claim that the actual number of arrested persons is far higher.
Meanwhile, sources informed Dawn that two special committees comprised of senior police officials have been formed at the departmental level. They will look into the details of the arrested people and forward recommendations to the provincial home department regarding the release of the innocent people.
