Imambargahs’ demolition: Shia Ulema Council rejects ‘joint’ inquiry

Demands action against jail administration.

FAISALABAD:

Shia Ulema Council Pakistan (SUCP) Faisalabad chapter on Saturday rejected a six-member committee constituted a day ago by the district coordination officer to  settle a dispute over demolition of two imambargahs at the Central Jail.

The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Rana Muhammad Asghar. Shia leaders from Faisalabad, Chiniot, Jhang and Toba Tek Singh attended the meeting.

The meeting held the Jail Superintendent Tariq Babar and Deputy Superintendent Mehr Ashraf responsible for the demolition of imambargahs and accused them of defiling holy books.

The SUCP leaders said the people claiming to be representatives of Shias in the committee did not have the support of the community. They said there was no need of an inquiry in the matter, adding that those responsible for the incident should be taken to task.

They said the SUCP would take action against the committee if it tried to protect the jail superintendent.

The six-member committee was constituted on Friday to probe the allegations on the Central jail administration.

It included District Coordination Officer Naseem Sadiq, DIG Prisons Pir Muhammad Ibrahim Sialvi, Jaffar Shah, Dr iftikhar Naqvi and Syed Tajammul Husain. The committee was also asked to evolve a strategy to ensure that there were no untoward incidents during mourning in the month of Muharram.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 18^th, 2012.