Sahiwal tragedy: Who permitted police fire at people, asks LHC CJ

LAHORE: Lahore High Court (LHC) Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Shamim Khan Thursday formed a two-judge bench to hear a petition seeking a judicial inquiry into the Sahiwal incident. He directed the Punjab police chief to ensure that such an incident did not occur in the province in future. Inspector General of Police (IGP) Punjab Amjad Javed Saleemi and other police officers were present in the court when the chief justice resumed hearing of the petitions moved by two lawyers. The chief justice showed serious concern over the killing of innocent family in Sahiwal and asked the IGP to identify the law which allowed the personnel of Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) to open straight fire on people. However, Mr Saleemi said there was no such law. Hearing the petition, the CJ pointed out that forming a judicial commission is the prerogative of the Centre, not the provincial government. The petitioner responded that a request in this regard had been submitted to the federal government. The petitioner's counsel told the court that the statement of every witness had not been recorded, on which Justice Khan asked IGP Amjad Saleemi about the progress made so far in the investigation. Saleemi said the CTD officials, who took part in the encounter, had been arrested and a joint investigation team (JIT) had been formed to probe the incident.

"IG Sahib, this is very cruel," Justice Khan said at one point. "Tell me, how do the police have the authority to spray someone with bullets?"

The chief justice ordered the IG to issue a direction to all regional and district police officers in the province that no such type of callous act/killing by the police officials would be repeated in future.

One of the petitioners, Advocate Safdar Shaheen Pirzada told the court that 16 personnel were involved in the Sahiwal killing, but the police arrested only six of them. He complained that the police had not recorded statements of the eyewitnesses.

The IGP stated that the CTD personnel had been arrested and some officers had also been suspended in the light of an initial report prepared by a Joint Investigation Team (JIT), formed by the government. He said challan would be submitted before an anti-terrorism court after competition of the investigation.

To a court’s query, he said it would take 30 days to complete the investigation.

The chief justice directed the IGP to ensure that the JIT would collect all available evidence and challan should be submitted within the stipulated time period. The chief justice also summoned the JIT head, Additional IG Ijaz Shah, along with complete record.

Towards the end of the hearing, the chief justice observed that a division bench would proceed further in the matter since the FIR had been lodged under the provision of Anti-Terrorism Act 1997.

A division bench comprising the chief justice and Justice Sadaqat Ali Khan would take up the petitions on next hearing.