Pakistan

Bahria Town race: Relatives of victims show mercy

Family members of the killed spectators extend forgiveness to three accused.

Obaid Abbasi February 26, 2011

RAWALPINDI: The relatives of the five people who were run over by a car in the Bahria Town drag race forgave three men who were allegedly responsible for the fatal accident.

The deceased’s families appeared before the Additional District and Secession (ADS) Judge Chaudhry Aurangzeb on Friday and informed the court that they had forgiven Chief Executive Bahria Town Ali Riaz, Chief Security Officer Bahria Town Colonel (retired) Rafaqat, and Waleed Aman, who was a co-organiser of the event.

They informed the court that they had no objection if the court released them.

Those killed in the incident were Suhail Khan, his 12-year-old son Danial Suhail; Babar Ali, his son Asfand; and Mohsin Jawaid, son of Col (Retd) Jawaid.

The car’s driver, Majid Naeem, was arrested earlier. However, the chief organiser of the event, Sheikh Atif, remains at large.

The five spectators were killed on December 5, 2010, when Majid Naeem lost control of his car, which skidded off the road and ran them over. The race was organised in Phase VIII, Barhia Town. The relatives of the deceased lodged an FIR with the Civil Line police against Sheikh Atif, Majid Naeem, Waleed Aman, Colonel(retd) Rafaqat, and Ali Riaz.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 26^th, 2011.

COMMENTS (21)

salman | 13 years ago | Reply If the relatives are forgiving for the sake of allah then they should not be biased and forgiving only 3 person by accepting money from Malik Riaz.SC has taken good initiative on merit and hold all of them equally responsible for this illegal race.As this race was held illegal and no security measures were taken by Bahria town management as they are taken in drag race then SC must punish all those who are involved in illegal acts.It was not like donkey race at villages where security measures for spectators are not taken?

VIEW MORE COMMENTS

kaleem | 13 years ago | Reply Its true that Malik riaz has offered money to victims family and they have accepted it.If they are forgiving for sake of allah then why not forgive majid the driver bcz it was just a natural accident?

saba | 13 years ago | Reply i really dont get it. i mean how are the organizers involved? the people who were killed were standing in the middle of nowhere. police have nabbed innocent people just to show people that they are doing there job where as this is not the case. if the families have no objection then whats the delay? and let me add that they have arrested people who are not even involved people who have money are moving freely everywhere. Chief justice is the biggest drama queen!

Maulana Diesel | 13 years ago | Reply as they say....money talks and BS walks....

Laiba Hassan | 13 years ago | Reply I want to clear the point that Malik Riaz apologise to all of them and everyone of them forgive him without taking any money.And they dont need money.

Laiba Hassan | 13 years ago | Reply Mohsin jawaid is my first cousin who died in this accident.we All know this is an unfortunate incident. money and court cannot give back their son

hadia ali | 13 years ago | Reply the organizer was atif sheikh, the employees of bahria town have nothing to do with this race.. they are dragged in this case without any reason just because the police and the courts want to make money from the birds of gold they have trapped.. the longer the case in the court and these innocent people behind the bars the longer the police and judiciary has the chance to bribe.. bahria town DID NOT organize the race.. moreover, the section 302 charged on every convicted is far from being lawful.. those people were not murdered and this was just an accident and the case should be dealt accordingly.. there is no law even in our judiciary system.. have u ever thought of the families of the innocent ppl who are behind the bars? i am a family member of one of the convicted bahria town employees and you ppl can not imagine the pain we are going through.. our condolence is there for those who were killed but what are we suffering for???

Azra | 13 years ago | Reply What about the car driver Majid Naeem? What's his fate? Is he going to be released too without having to pay any penalty?

Confused | 13 years ago | Reply How is it that everyone knows that the relatives were bought? Is everyone so sure about that?

Alick | 13 years ago | Reply guys these races are illegal. Spectators are equally responsible; why they took children to see such illegal races...these races are popular in all big cities here. The culprit is not the organiser or the participants the culprit is the SHO who gave the NOC for this race in bahria town. I saw the bike racing on 12th rabi ul awal who were also showing their stunts on one wheel. The parents alongwith their children were applauding them. CRAZY

Mujtaba Abid | 13 years ago | Reply its shame full of how we judge people ! money has bought the relatives of victims could be the possibility but may be the relatives have realized that the victims were there at the event by their choice and not by force. They wouldn't have died if they were at homes, it was their choice to watch the race.

Nadeem Ahmed | 13 years ago | Reply I am not a Najoomi, but I knew it from the begining. The relatives of victims could have been bought on first day, but media and supreme court spoiled the deal. Anyhow, delay and other factors must have come as a blessings for victim families to have much better deal than first day. Thanks to religious fanatics who are not allowing "some" families to finalize the deal.

Ghulam Ali | 13 years ago | Reply In cases where the interests of society at large are at stake, the Judge is expected to proceed with the tazir case, even if the vitims' heir drop the qisaas case. I would consider this as one such case. It's not just the parties involves who are affected. The society as a whole is affected because the impression we get is that rich kids are free to play with their cars as they please, and even run a few of the 'dogs' down... and then they can buy their way out of everything. Also, the strong message of discouragement that should have gone out to the organizers of dangerous spectator sports has also not gone out... What mostly happens in these cases is that the judge is too timid to pursue the case, once the parties forgive... even when he should, and is legally entitled to, proceed ahead... after all, which judge would would want to pick up a fight just so that an extra bit of protection to the larger interests of the Pakistani people can be given... Somebody should appeal the case to the Court making this point... there are precedents to support it... such as a 2006 Peshawar High Court judgment...

AS Ahmed | 13 years ago | Reply In times of high inflation these things happen. Quaid-i-Azam Zindabad!

Azfaar Siddiqi | 13 years ago | Reply Yaar at least the culprits should have been arrested before being pardoned off by the victims relative, this is all insane they must have got them arrested before telling Malik Riaz and Ali Riaz that we relieve you off the crime and forgive you! :'( really feeling sad abt that

Fawad | 13 years ago | Reply apparently... money & some INFLUENCE thingy ;) has done the "Khul Ja Sim Sim Job"

Nadir El-Edroos | 13 years ago | Reply Okay, but this wasnt a case of murder that they have been pardoned. What about prosecuting them for not getting an NOC, more planning and not talking up adequate safety measures? This is like the PML-N guying paying back 5 billion rupees that he swindled and is walking away scot free.

hassan | 13 years ago | Reply Money can buy you anything!.... makes me sick!

Asim | 13 years ago | Reply Somehow I don't believe they forgave the people responsible for not having proper safety in course for specatators. Not that I hold the CEO responsible but the person who specifcially organised the whole event should be held responsible and accountable for not taking care of the safety of the viewers.

Hammad | 13 years ago | Reply good decision....... money can do wonders

Replying to X