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Thursday March 28, 2024

10 questions about release of Zain’s killer

ISLAMABAD: There are 10 different questions boggling the minds of insecure citizens following the release of alleged killer of Zain and suo moto notice taken by the Chief Justice of Pakistan.Discussions with members of legal fraternity, civil society and human rights activists and media persons show the following 10 questions

By Ahmad Noorani
November 02, 2015
ISLAMABAD: There are 10 different questions boggling the minds of insecure citizens following the release of alleged killer of Zain and suo moto notice taken by the Chief Justice of Pakistan.
Discussions with members of legal fraternity, civil society and human rights activists and media persons show the following 10 questions are disturbing the people and the society as a whole, wanting answers from the rulers;
— Why the long arm of law is unable to stop a certain elite class from humiliating, torturing and even killing innocent citizens openly on roads? Incidents of torture and such killings are becoming a routine now. The situation is worse in smaller towns and villages, especially in south Punjab and Sindh.
- Why the police and provincial governments become silent spectators or openly side with the powerful in such cases and even courts use to go ahead following routine procedures instead of questioning poor investigation or obvious friendly prosecution? Though innocent and poor are wronged or killed, the whole society feels insecure and terrorised. Powerful and mighty openly frustrate process of law, the courts simply become silent when witnesses change their statements or even the complainant party apparently wants to close the case. Legal experts believe that in such cases of torture or killing, terrorising the whole society, courts can use many instruments of law and there is case law supporting courts to order proper and fair reinvestigation and to probe the reasons of change of statements.
- Whether such killings of poor and weak on roads and streets by influential and mighty intoxicated with power without any solid reason fall in purview of ‘fisaad-fil-Arz’ (spreading turmoil and anarchy in the society)?
- Whether such cases of brutal murders of ordinary citizens by influential elite if fall in purview of ‘fisaad-fil-Arz’ can be compromised by parties out of the court? Whether there is a need for an improvement in legislation on this count on emergency basis to control the elite at loose?
- Zain was the only son of his widowed mother. Wasn’t it the responsibility of the Punjab government to fully protect and financially help her after such a horrible and tragic incident? Governments are responsible for the well-being of all citizens but in such cases governments and societies always help such victim families in all regards.
- It is obvious that if this influential elite had been punished for this ruthless murder committed in public on a busy road in the provincial capital, it would have set an example for future and could bring a sense of security and justice in the society. If this influential elite would have been punished, no elite class individual could dare to take such an extreme step or would think many times before doing so.
- Is it not true that police changed its position regarding recovery of the weapon used for committing the murder during court proceedings?
- How can the aspect of threats from this powerful elite family to lives of victim party made to accept some financial support be ruled out?
- Isn’t it that such loophole in law and courts’ trial process providing disorderly and unruly influential elite a license to kill poor citizens and get away with it by using brutal power and spending some money on police and opponent party?
- This was not the first such incident of misuse of blind power by a member of an influential elite family to torture or kill an innocent citizen in Punjab. What changes Punjab government has brought so far in legislation and in legal and police system to secure people and bring justice in the society?