SHC issues notice to AG in Ashura blast case.

Sindh High Court issued notices to Advocate General Sindh on an application seeking hearing of judicial inquiry petition on the Ashura blast and ransacking of over 3,000 shops by miscreants in Boulton Market and Light House areas by the SHC bench comprising Administrative Judge of Anti Terrorism Courts.

Human Rights Commission for South Asia’s representative Syed Iqbal Kazmi submitted that as many as 44 mourners were killed while over 100 were injured in the bomb blast in Ashura procession near Light House area. He said that soon after the blast shops and markets in Boulton Market and Light House areas were set on fire by miscreants, while the law enforcement agencies personnel let them free to ransack the public properties worth billions of rupees.

The petitioner mentioned that on December 26, more than 17 persons including security personnel and women were also injured in a blast at a religious gathering in Paposh Nagar area, questioning the claims made by the government with regard to providing security. He submitted that police also produced the record of Ashura blast and arson footages before the AJ of Anti Terrorism Courts in Karachi Justice Amir Hani Muslim as well as police papers regarding investigation into the incidents. He prayed the court to constitute the bench comprising Justice Amir Hani Muslim, who is also Administrative Judge of ATCs.

Naming Sindh Police, Pakistan Rangers, Federal Interior Ministry, Home Department, City District Government Karachi as respondents, the petitioner accused them of committing negligence in protecting the lives and properties of the citizens and submitted that respondents apparently failed to arrest the culprits involved in looting, ransacking public properties including shops and vehicles despite heavy deployment of LEA personnel to avoid any untoward incident during the Ashura.