KARACHI: Rights activist fears for life
KARACHI, July 11: Civil rights campaigner Syed Mohammad Iqbal Kazmi appealed to the Sindh High Court on Wednesday to provide security to him and his family as they were feeling insecure after the filing of a petition over the May 12 violence against Muttahida Qaumi Movement leaders and the Sindh government.
He was produced in the court of a judicial magistrate, South, in the cases registered against him for allegedly giving dud cheques to people in different business deals in 2006.
Judicial magistrate Zulfiqar Ali extended Mr Kazmi’s judicial remand till July 16 and ordered the police to produce him on the next date with a complete charge-sheet against him.
Mr Kazmi was arrested by police on June 12 during a raid at his house in Korangi.
Talking to newsmen at the City Courts, he repeatedly said that the cases against him were baseless and his arrest was in reaction to the petition he had filed in the Sindh High Court over the May 12 violence. He said the lives and honour of his family members were at stake and he was still ready to withdraw his petition against the MQM if adequate security was given to his family.
‘Politicians insincere’
Mr Kazmi said the politicians, including Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf chief Imran Khan, were seeking their own interests and were not interested in solving problems being faced by civil right activists, adding that in such a situation he had no option but to withdraw his petition.
He said nobody could expect justice in a country where the judiciary had become helpless because of the pressure exerted by the rulers. He said raising one’s voice for one’s basic rights amounted to committing a big crime.
“I had filed the petitions in the public interest against the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) amended Ordinance, the Karachi Electric Supply Corporation and the mobile phone companies, but I got no positive response from the public and politicians,” he said
He said the hearing of his petition be initiated as soon as possible as he apprehended he might be killed.
Rejoinder sought
Accused Syed Iqbal Kazmi was also produced before a Sindh High Court bench for the hearing of his petition against the Karachi Electricity Supply Corporation by the superintendent of the Malir Jail.
The bench asked him to file a rejoinder to the KESC comments on his petition justifying load-shedding on account of increased demand for electricity without there being a corresponding rise in the generation capacity.