LHC orders judicial inquiry into Sahiwal killings

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday ordered a judicial inquiry into the Sahiwal killings case and directed the session’s judge over there to appoint a magistrate to conduct and complete the inquiry within 30 days.

A two-judge bench, headed by LHC Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Shamim Khan, was hearing a petition filed by victim Khalil’s brother Jalil seeking the formation of a judicial commission to conduct a transparent probe into the Sahiwal incident.

Last month four people, including a teenage girl, were killed allegedly by Counter-Terrorism Department officials. As hearing started, an additional attorney general produced the copy of a letter issued by Punjab Home Department which showed that it had not recommended the formation of a judicial commission for the time being. The government decided to wait until the conclusion of the joint investigation team’s probe and the constitution of the judicial commission would be considered if the JIT report was found unsatisfactory, the law officer said.

“Keeping in view the importance of the matter, the session’s judge Sahiwal was directed to depute some magistrate (Section 30) for conducting the judicial inquiry regarding Sahiwal incident whereby Muhammad Khalil, Zeeshan, Nabeela Khalil and Areeba Khalil were killed whereas Muhammad Umair and Jazba Khalil were injured, allegedly at the hands of the CTD officials. The magistrate concerned shall conclude the judicial inquiry within the period of 30 days, “the court order said.

When asked whether the JIT had recorded the statements of the people named in the list given by the court. JIT head, Ijaz Shah, stated that statements of eye witnesses Muhammad Jalil, Muhammad Afzal, Umair Khalil and Dr Nadeem Abbas had been recorded under Section 161 CrPC. He, however, was unable to satisfy court about recording of statements of all witnesses. The bench expressed displeasure over his lack of preparation.

The LHC Chief Justice remarked that the JIT had not bothered to record statements of all the eye witnesses provided by the LHC, “Is this the way to obey court orders,” he continued. “The way you are working on the case is sad,” Justice Sadaqat Ali said to JIT head Aijaz Shah. On which, Mr Shah undertook to record the statements of all witnesses who would appear or produce before JIT.

The court deferred the case until March 05. Multiple petitions seeking the formation of a judicial commission have been filed in the high court by family members of victims and some lawyers who challenged the establishment of a JIT. A writ petition filed by the brother of one of the victims, pleaded that since the high-ups of law enforcement agencies were involved in the killings, the JIT made by the government could not reach a just decision.

The petitioners argued that the ministers and officials had been changing their statements on the incident that showed their connivance or ill-will regarding the dispensation of justice to the victims’ family.