Sialkot lynching: Gujranwala court restrained from ruling

Plaintiff argues that use of television footage as evidence was illegal.

LAHORE:

The Lahore High Court (LHC) restrained on Friday a Gujranwala-based anti terrorism court from ruling in the trial of accused involved in the lynching of two brothers of Sialkot.

The court issued this order after a petition was filed by an accused Jamil alias Jeela, who challenged the trial court’s order allowing the investigating officer to use television footage for identifying the persons involved in the lynching.

The accused submitted that the trial court had no jurisdiction to give any such permission. Gujranwala Anti Terrorism Court judge Chaudhry Mushtaq is hearing the case on a day-to-day basis on LHC orders.

On Friday, the LHC issued notices to the investigating officer and all of the accused, besides seeking a report from the trial court judge by April 25.

Two brothers named Hafiz Mughees and Muneeb were killed by a mob in Sialkot allegedly in the presence of police officials on August 15 last year.

Some police officials and others were booked and arrested after a case was registered on the directions of provincial authorities.

The case is now being heard by the ATC Gujranwala against 28 accused including 10 policemen. There are 27 nominated accused, while one of them is still unidentified. All nominated accused are in the judicial lock-up, except for the suspended DPO, Waqar Chohan, and SHO Ilyas, who were released on bail.

One of the uncles of the lynching victims told this correspondent that they were hopeful that the case would soon be decided. He said the video footage “clearly shows all of the accused”.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 16^th,  2011.