RANA MAQBOOL’S STATEMENT - AN EFFORT TO LEGITIMISE AND PROMOTE EXTRAJUDICIAL EXECUTIONS IN KARACHI

Members of the MQM Co-ordination Committee have flayed the inhuman and rhetorical statement of Rana Maqbool, Inspector General Sindh Police, who said, "no extra-judicial killings had taken place in Karachi".

MQM Co-ordination Committee said that the reports of the special rapporteurs of the United Nations Human Rights Commission, the U S Department of State, Amnesty International, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, other human rights and civil liberties organisations, national and international press and opinions stand witness to the fact that not only the extrajudicial killings, custodial deaths, unlawful arrests and torture of Mohajirs and MQM leaders, office bearers, workers, supporters and their family members, is systematic but widespread. They said that in fact, it has been norm of the day since 1992 but has been intensified once again, by the Nawaz Sharif Government.

Members of the Co-ordination Committee said that the Inspector General, the Establishment and the members of the Government have short memories and they formulate policies on that basis and on the basis of repression. They said that former Interior Minister General Naseerullah Babar, during Benazir Bhutto Government, made similar rhetorical and mindless statements categorically denying the extrajudicial executions but eventually on 5^th. November 1996, Benazir Bhutto Government was dismissed on the charges of extrajudicial executions. The "Proclamation Order" of the former President Farooq Ahmed Leghari dismissing the Benazir Bhutto Government contained these killings as first and the foremost point.

Moreover, during the recent 55^th Session of the UN Commission on Human Rights, the UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions categorically accounted, "…large scale violations to the right to life are continuing to occur in Pakistan. Reports claim that many killings are committed by police and members of armed terrorists groups, who are allegedly acting with the full support and protection of the Government. During the period under review, law enforcement officials, security forces, paramilitary rangers, intelligence agencies and police officers have all been accused of committing extrajudicial executions. Many of the victims include members of political parties, such as the Muttahida Quami Movement, who were identified and singled out by the assailants". Similarly, during the on-going 55^th. Session, Sir Nigel S Rodley, Special Rapporteur on Arbitrary Detention and Torture also graphically acknowledged the atrocities against Mohajirs and MQM members.

They further reminded that the draft resolution (E/CN.4/Sub.2/1997/L.22) presented during the U N Sub-Commission by Ms. Claire Palley, Member of the Sub-Commission for Great Britain and Northern Ireland on violations of human rights against Pakistan in August 1997 categorically accounted the atrocities and extrajudicial killings of Mohajirs and MQM workers.

The Members of the Co-ordination Committee said that as a prelude to the "Governor Rule" and since its imposition, the Extrajudicial and custodial killings of the MQM workers and supporters Fasih Ahmed, Mubashar Ali, Israr Ahmed, Mohammad Anwar, Arman Danish, Abdus Sattar Baloch, Gul Mohammad, Farid Ahmed, Shamim Ahmed, and Jamil Ahmed belies the statement of the Inspector General, Rana Maqbool.

Finally, they said that this categorical hypocrisy of the Inspector General is an effort of the Nawaz Sharif Government not only to legitimise but promote the on-going extrajudicial executions of the MQM workers in Karachi and other urban centres of Sindh.