May 12 massacre: Karachi police prepares JIT performance report

KARACHI: Police department has released its six-month performance report of Joint Investigation Team (JIT) on May 12 massacre, ARY News reported on Sunday.

More accused persons were arrested for their alleged involvement in the mass killings and nine challans were filed in the court by the police department.

Additional Inspector General (AIG) Karachi Amir Ahmed Shaikh said that a Joint Investigation Team was constituted under his supervision on May 12. He detailed that nine challans were submitted by East Zone Police sector and accused persons were arrested during the last three months in connection with the May 12 shootings.

Shaikh said that most of the suspects belong to District East of the metropolis, whereas, overall 45 challans were submitted to the court. The Karachi police chief added, “31 cases including seven new cases are currently under proceedings as the number of cases reaches to 65.”

Read: Karachi mayor gets exemption from personal appearance in May 12 cases

“Three culprits are sentenced in May 12 case, however, 19 cases are still unresolved. JIT has completed its two sessions so far while the third session will be held on 15th Ramadan and fourth will be initiated after Eid,” said AIG Karachi.

“We have dispatched letters to media houses and other institutions for evidences and footages,” he added.

The police chief said that the investigators, working under his supervision, will try to finalise the JIT report within 1.5 months.

On May 12, 2007, at least 50 people were killed and over 100 wounded in attacks on rallies of different political parties and the legal fraternity, who had attempted to receive the then deposed chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry at the Karachi airport ahead of a lawyers’ gathering.

Justice Chaudhry was forced to fly back to Islamabad after nine hours of being restricted to the airport.