30% of Karachi police force terrorist sympathisers: Sindh IGP

Karachi, Sept 10(ANI): Sindh Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Wajid Ali Durrani has acknowledged politicisation in the police force, with the gang wars linked to party affiliations in Karachi.

"Thirty per cent of the police force sympathises with them [criminals]," The Express Tribune quoted Durrani, as saying.

The IGP was testifying before a five-member bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, which is hearing a suo motu case into a horrific spell of violence in Karachi.

The bench had earlier ripped apart the Sindh police's handling of the investigations into the massacre in the metropolis, where over 400 people died in three months.

Alluding to the Supreme Court's criticism of inherent weaknesses in police investigations, the Sindh police chief confessed that an incomplete FIR had led to exoneration of alleged terrorists involved in an attack on a bus carrying policemen in Korangi.

"This is one of the operational problems that we face," Durrani said. "Whenever a case with a political affiliation comes to the fore, action is taken but nobody is ready to register a FIR."

"Time and again, the court has extended its support to the police to take non-discriminatory action against terrorists, extortionists, kidnappers and mafias," Justice Chaudhry said. "Bring a qualitative change in your force."

In a surprise move, Durrani described himself as 'a powerless IGP', and said that under the Police Order of 2002, considerable powers were given to the provincial police officer (PPO), but the Sindh Assembly had repealed that order.

"[Now] I can only appoint and transfer officers up till the level of deputy superintendent of police. If I have to remove a senior superintendent of police, I have to make a request to the provincial home minister," he added.

The bench asked the IGP about officers who had gotten 'shoulder promotions'. But as Durrani tried to evade the question, the bench told him that about 900 officers had been promoted unfairly.

The bench also pointed out towards a Supreme Court judgment, which requires removal of these officers, and noted that all provinces, except Sindh, had implemented it.

"The message that the people are getting is that police is capable but shies away (from fulfilling its responsibilities)," Justice Chaudhry said. "Police officers are either incompetent or dishonest," said another judge in the bench. (ANI)