Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry stepped up pressure on the government on Monday by taking suo motu notice of the bomb blasts in Abbas Town, Karachi.

The terrorist strike killed 45 people and injured another 150 on Sunday. “The state of Pakistan and provincial government of Sindh have apparently failed to protect the life and property of citizens in Karachi,” the chief justice said in his short order Monday evening.

A press release issued by the Supreme Court registrar said that the chief justice took notice of the incident on the basis of an official note containing clippings from different newspapers. The note said that in the aftermath of, and following the pattern of two consecutive bomb blasts in Quetta, the shocking March 3 carnage should serve as an eye-opener.

The note highlighted media reports about the lack of security and law enforcement agencies, for search and rescue operations, due to their prior engagement at a private function, where they were busy providing security for senior government functionaries.

Shedding light on the tense situation in Karachi, the note said that the Shias took to the streets after the attacks and chanted slogans against the government, demanding the immediate arrest of the killers.

Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry directed the provincial police officer and Advocate General Sindh to appear before the apex court’s Karachi registry on March 6.

The chief justice directed the Sindh officials to file a comprehensive report. The registrar’s note called the Abbas Town bombings a “major disaster,” resulting in an enormous loss of life and destruction to property.