Justice Javed Iqbal's parents' murder: Malik forms joint investigation team
Police take night security guard into custody; initial reports say incident may have been made to look like a robbery.
LAHORE:
Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Wednesday formed a joint investigation team to probe into the murder of Justice Javed Iqbal’s parents and sought an inquiry report from the Inspector General (IG) Punjab.
The initial investigation report of the murder of Justice Iqbal’s parents has been dispatched to the Chief Minister and IG Punjab. Preliminary findings reveal Justice Iqbal's parents were found dead when police reached their house at around 9 pm, Tuesday night.
The report says the couple was murdered five to six hours before the police came and the murderers ransacked the house to make the incident look like a robbery.
Police have taken into custody the night security guard and raids are being made to arrest the guard on morning duty. The police are also interrogating two tenants living in the upper portion of the house.
SP Cantonment Amin Bukhari said an autopsy will be conducted and forensic evidence has been gathered from the crime scene.
Justice Iqbal's parents were not being provided any security and no policeman was deployed at their residence.
A First Information Report (FIR) of the murder was registered at the Factory area police station.
Some reports suggest Abdul Hameed and his wife were killed when they tried to resist an attempted robbery. Police sources said both the victims were tortured before being suffocated to death. The Supreme Court Bar and the Punjab Bar Council have also announced a nation-wide strike for today (Wednesday).
Supreme Court Bar Association President Asma Jehangir said there is a need to investigate whether there is a link between Justice Javed Iqbal's parents' murder and the sensitive cases he is handling.
The funeral prayers of Justice Javed Iqbal's parents will be held this (Wednesday) afternoon at Askari 5.
Updated from print edition (below)
Mysterious killing: Outspoken judge’s parents murdered
The parents of Justice Javed Iqbal, a senior judge of the Supreme Court, were killed on Tuesday night under mysterious circumstances in a well-guarded area of Lahore.
Justice Iqbal is a member of the Supreme Court benches which are hearing some high-profile cases, including the sensitive missing persons’ case.
Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah confirmed that Abdul Hameed, a former deputy inspector-general of police, and his wife Amina Bibi were strangled to death at their residence at Cavalry Ground, a high-security neighbourhood of Lahore.
He said the elderly couple had rented out the upper portion of their house in the Officers Colony on Walton Road, and were living alone in the lower portion.
The murder came to light when a relative of Abdul Hameed, who came to see the couple on Tuesday night, found them dead in the TV lounge of their house. They were strangled to death using pillows.
The motive behind the killing and the identity of the killers is still unknown. The killers managed to escape the high security area unchallenged and without raising any alarm. But Sanaullah said that the killers would be arrested soon. The police have detained the employees working in the house, the tenants and a street guard for questioning.
After the incident, a security cordon was thrown around the crime scene and investigators started collecting evidence. Police refused to speculate whether it was an attempted robbery or targeted killing.
Of particular note is that, during the course of hearing on Monday, Justice Iqbal had said that “2011 will be the year of recovery of missing persons.” He stressed that he and the Supreme Court would ensure that the missing persons are reunited with their loved ones within this year. In the same hearing, he also sought legislation to deal with the whisking away of Pakistanis without trial or hearing.
Sanaullah assured that all aspects of the case would be investigated.
President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif condemned the incident and ordered an immediate inquiry. They also offered condolences to Justice Iqbal.
Chief Minister Sharif directed DIG Lahore Rao Sardar Muhammad to supervise the investigation.
The Punjab Bar Council has called a strike across the province in protest against the killing of Justice Iqbal’s parents. Lawyers will boycott proceedings in the high court and lower courts.
Additional input from APP
Published in The Express Tribune, January 12th, 2011.
Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Wednesday formed a joint investigation team to probe into the murder of Justice Javed Iqbal’s parents and sought an inquiry report from the Inspector General (IG) Punjab.
The initial investigation report of the murder of Justice Iqbal’s parents has been dispatched to the Chief Minister and IG Punjab. Preliminary findings reveal Justice Iqbal's parents were found dead when police reached their house at around 9 pm, Tuesday night.
The report says the couple was murdered five to six hours before the police came and the murderers ransacked the house to make the incident look like a robbery.
Police have taken into custody the night security guard and raids are being made to arrest the guard on morning duty. The police are also interrogating two tenants living in the upper portion of the house.
SP Cantonment Amin Bukhari said an autopsy will be conducted and forensic evidence has been gathered from the crime scene.
Justice Iqbal's parents were not being provided any security and no policeman was deployed at their residence.
A First Information Report (FIR) of the murder was registered at the Factory area police station.
Some reports suggest Abdul Hameed and his wife were killed when they tried to resist an attempted robbery. Police sources said both the victims were tortured before being suffocated to death. The Supreme Court Bar and the Punjab Bar Council have also announced a nation-wide strike for today (Wednesday).
Supreme Court Bar Association President Asma Jehangir said there is a need to investigate whether there is a link between Justice Javed Iqbal's parents' murder and the sensitive cases he is handling.
The funeral prayers of Justice Javed Iqbal's parents will be held this (Wednesday) afternoon at Askari 5.
Updated from print edition (below)
Mysterious killing: Outspoken judge’s parents murdered
The parents of Justice Javed Iqbal, a senior judge of the Supreme Court, were killed on Tuesday night under mysterious circumstances in a well-guarded area of Lahore.
Justice Iqbal is a member of the Supreme Court benches which are hearing some high-profile cases, including the sensitive missing persons’ case.
Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah confirmed that Abdul Hameed, a former deputy inspector-general of police, and his wife Amina Bibi were strangled to death at their residence at Cavalry Ground, a high-security neighbourhood of Lahore.
He said the elderly couple had rented out the upper portion of their house in the Officers Colony on Walton Road, and were living alone in the lower portion.
The murder came to light when a relative of Abdul Hameed, who came to see the couple on Tuesday night, found them dead in the TV lounge of their house. They were strangled to death using pillows.
The motive behind the killing and the identity of the killers is still unknown. The killers managed to escape the high security area unchallenged and without raising any alarm. But Sanaullah said that the killers would be arrested soon. The police have detained the employees working in the house, the tenants and a street guard for questioning.
After the incident, a security cordon was thrown around the crime scene and investigators started collecting evidence. Police refused to speculate whether it was an attempted robbery or targeted killing.
Of particular note is that, during the course of hearing on Monday, Justice Iqbal had said that “2011 will be the year of recovery of missing persons.” He stressed that he and the Supreme Court would ensure that the missing persons are reunited with their loved ones within this year. In the same hearing, he also sought legislation to deal with the whisking away of Pakistanis without trial or hearing.
Sanaullah assured that all aspects of the case would be investigated.
President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif condemned the incident and ordered an immediate inquiry. They also offered condolences to Justice Iqbal.
Chief Minister Sharif directed DIG Lahore Rao Sardar Muhammad to supervise the investigation.
The Punjab Bar Council has called a strike across the province in protest against the killing of Justice Iqbal’s parents. Lawyers will boycott proceedings in the high court and lower courts.
Additional input from APP
Published in The Express Tribune, January 12th, 2011.