CTD to probe demolition of Jufelhurst School

The inquiry into the illegal demolition of the Jufelhurst School, a heritage site as well as a functioning school, in Soldier Bazaar has been transferred from the East Range police to the Counter-Terrorism Department.

The police spokesperson issued a notification that read, “With the approval of the competent authority, the investigation of case FIR No 87/2017 u/s 447/511/427/34 of the Pakistan Penal Code r/w 18 Sindh Cultural Heritage Preservation Act 1994 of the Soldier Bazaar Police Station, East Range, Karachi is hereby transferred to Munir Ahmed Sheikh, Superintendent of Police Operations-I, CTD Sindh for further investigation on merit.”

Additional IG CTD Sanaullah Abbasi will supervise the investigation and submit a report to the IGP.

Abbasi told The News that he had visited the office of the DIG East Range office on Tuesday afternoon where he had met with DIG Arif Hanif and the SSP investigation there. The East Range officials briefed him about findings of the investigation they had conducted so far.

“We will go through the investigation conducted earlier including the registration of the FIR,” the CTD chief said. “The main issue is as to how was a heritage site was sold as according to the law, it can’t be transferred,” he added.

Abbasi said he had directed DIG Amir Farooqi of CTD and SSP Operations-I Munir Sheikh to start the investigation keeping in view all aspects including the documents used in the sale and purchase and question the officials believed to be involved in the case.

He added that notices would be served to the officials of the provincial board of revenue department, the district commissioner’s office, and others who responsible for the entries in documents to record their statements.

Besides, officials of the heritage and education departments and non-governmental organisations working on heritage sites will also be called to record their statements.

“We will use these statements to ascertain who was behind the demolition, who were the facilitators and those who executed the act as well as those whose negligence made it possible,” the CTD chief said.

Abbasi said the inquiry would be completed within a week.

Earlier, IGP AD Khowaja formed a team under the supervision of additional IG Aftab Pathan that recorded on Monday the statements of the officials believed to be involved in the case.including DSP Arshad Masoomi, Soldier Bazaar SHO Irshad Soomro, ASI Hakim Ali and a police constable.

The police department has also requested the Federal Investigation agency to initiate an inquiry against its official, Inspector Adnan, an accused in the case.

The FIA in response cancelled Inspector Adnan’s four-month leave and placed his name on the exit control list.

The Karachi police appointed Shahzada Saleem Memon as the Tipu Sultan SHO, Hatim Khan Marwat as the Saddar SHO, Arz Mohammed Khaskheli as the Soldier Bazaar SHO and Iqbal Tunio as the Iqbal Market SHO.