SHC orders formation of JIT over May 12 carnage

KARACHI (92 News) – Sindh High Court (SHC) on Tuesday ordered formation of joint investigation team (JIT) to probe into May 12 carnage incident. A two-member bench comprising justices Iqbal Kalhoro and KK Agha heard a case related to the May 12 mayhem incident. The bench also ordered formation of a judicial tribunal for investigation. During the hearing, the court has directed to re-investigate into the massacre from the start and submit its report after every two weeks. The court also sought a report from the Sindh government over payment of compensation to those injured during the clashes and families of the ones who lost their lives. The judges ordered to reopen 65 cases related to the same incidents that were closed earlier. The bench also requested SHC Chief Justice Ahmed Ali Shah to appoint a judge in order to monitor the reopened cases. The formation of a judicial commission was requested by petitioner Iqbal Kazmi, which was supported by the federal government and legal advisers but opposed by the Sindh government. Earlier on 12 May 2007, a major portion of Karachi’s main artery, Shahra-e-Faisal, turned into a battlefield when rival political groups clashed with each other soon after the arrival of the then chief justice of Pakistan. More than 50 people were killed and over 100 injured the attacks on rallies by different political parties and lawyers who had attempted to receive the then deposed chief justice, Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, at Jinnah International Airport in Karachi ahead of a lawyers’ gathering.