Sahiwal tragedy: LHC summons IG with case record

LAHORE : Lahore High Court Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Shamim Khan on Tuesday summoned Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Amjad Javed Saleemi along with record of Sahiwal killings on two petitions demanding an impartial inquiry of the incident through a judicial commission.

During the hearing, the chief justice posed a query whether the court had the power to order the government for the constitution of judicial commission. A provincial law officer stated that under Punjab Tribunals of Inquiry Ordinance 1969, the government had the power to appoint a judicial commission with the consultation of the LHC chief justice. However, he pointed out that the federal government was empowered to form a judicial commission.

The law officer said the government took the matter seriously and formed a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to reach out the facts. At this, the chief justice directed the petitioners’ counsel to also file applications with the federal government for the constitution of the judicial commission and observed that the court would take up this point on a later stage. Meanwhile, the CJ directed the IG to appear in person on January 24 (tomorrow) along with the record of the case. Before adjourning the hearing, the chief justice observed that the matter was of public interest.

Advocates Safdar Shaheen Pirzada and Mian Asif Mahmood appeared on behalf of the petitioners. They argued that JIT formed by the government will not be able to find out the truth and hold the responsible police personnel guilty of their crime. They said since the members of the JIT belonged to the police and other security forces, it would not go against the personnel of Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) involved in the brutal killing of an innocent family. They asked the court to order the prime minister to constitute a judicial commission to hold an impartial inquiry into the incident.

Khadim Rizvi: An anti-terrorism court on Tuesday sent Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) Chief Khadim Hussain Rizvi and others on 14-day judicial remand, earlier booked under sedition and terrorism charges by the Civil Lines police.

The other accused include TLP patron Pir Afzal Qadri, Pir Ijaz Ashrafi and Hafiz Farooq-ul-Hassan. The Civil Lines police produced the accused before the court of Sheikh Sajjad amid tight security as heavy contingents of police had cordoned off the ATC premises. The judge after hearing the arguments of prosecution and counsel of Khadim Rizvi and others sent the accused to jail on judicial remand.