KARACHI: The Supreme Court on Monday expressed its dissatisfaction over the failure of the authorities in restoring peace to the city as the Rangers and police got yet another slap on the wrist from the judges.

A three-judge bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Anwar Zahir Jamali, was seized with the proceedings of implementation of the judgement in the suo motu killing case. The other members of the bench were Justices Khilji Arif Hussain and Amir Hani Muslim.

The judges were visibly irked over the absence of the provincial police chief who could not attend the proceedings due to his illness, according to the provincial chief law officer. “He falls sick whenever this case is taken up,” one of the bench members remarked.

An hour or so later IGP Shahid Nadeem Baloch, however, attended a meeting at the Sindh High Court with the SHC chief justice in the chair.

The judges were further displeased with a report of the Pakistan Rangers, Sindh, over the security situation in the city, particularly in violence-hit Lyari, as it was not even signed by the Rangers director-general who also did not attend the proceedings. “The Rangers DG seems to have no time for signing the report,” Justice Hani snapped.

The Rangers report claimed that the incidence of targeted killings in Karachi in the second quarter of 2013 went down as compared to those in the first quarter. It stated that the entire city remained peaceful during the past three months, except for Lyari where new gang warfare between activists of the Kutchhi community and gangsters of Lyari started on May 18.

Terming the report eyewash, the judges directed the counsel for the paramilitary troops to furnish a proper report on the progress and efforts made to restore peace during the past 15 days.

Justice Khilji said that the court was assured that the life and property of the people in Lyari would be protected, but people were now moving to safe places due to an aggravated law and order situation in the vicinity.

The judge observed that the Rangers’ report was incomplete as it did not bear details of the suspects and the cases against them.

Referring to the report filed by the Rangers, he observed that the law enforcers should take action to eliminate militant wings of political parties instead of asking these parties to disband their militant wings.

The judges observed that the apex court had passed the judgement in the Karachi suo motu case in 2011 but unfortunately the court orders had not been complied with despite repeated notices.

The bench also came down heavily on police over the escape of five under-trial prisoners from custody.

Justice Hani rejected the police claim that the UTPs managed to escape from the ventilators of ATC lockups and observed that the police did not take preventive measures to forestall such incidents.

The bench was of the opinion that senior police and jail officials should have been placed under suspension for the escape of the prisoners.

The judges expressed grave concern over the security situation in the prisons and observed that the criminals were operating from the penitentiaries.

Advocate General for Sindh Khalid Javed assured the court that action would be taken against the officials found responsible in this regard.

The bench also directed the chief secretary to appear in court on Thursday when the hearing of the case would be resumed.

Earlier at the outset of the hearing, the bench took up the matters relating to the state land.

The bench observed that the state land was given away at throwaway prices without inviting open bids in newspapers.

One of the bench members remarked that the senior member of board of revenue, who was allegedly involved in corrupt practices, had been made chairman of the anti-corruption establishment.