Old enmities fuelling violent crime in Lahore
Recent airport incident linked to murder of former PPP General Secretary Babar Butt
PHOTO: FILE
LAHORE:
In yet another tragic incident, two men were killed while three were left injured in an incident of firing due to old enmity at the Allama Iqbal International Airport on Wednesday.
Initial police investigations reveal that the incident is interconnected with the murder of former Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) General Secretary Babar Butt two years ago. One of the deceased in the airport firing incident, identified as Zain Ali, was nominated in the First Information Report (FIR).
Former member of national assembly Sohail Shaukat Butt was also nominated in the murder of Babar Butt. Relatives of Zain had also accused the brother of late Babar Butt for masterminding the murder.
A day after the recent airport incident, Race Course police had arrested ten armed men, few of whom were trying to enter the Anti-Terrorism Court while others waited in parking. Reportedly, the suspects had come to attack the persons accused in the murder of their relative in Bhatti Gate few years ago.
Last year, an under custody suspect and a police constable were shot dead by suspects over an old enmity inside a sessions court. Police were going to present the accused for a court hearing when the incident occurred.
In 2018, a person accused in the murder of former member of provincial assembly Saiful Malook Khokhar was shot dead by a hired assassin inside a district court. Previously, there have been incidents in which mass shooting incidents have occurred especially outside courts. The provincial capital has had a history of violence related to old enmities where families have been involved. Countless precious lives have been lost in the process and there are many stakeholders involved in the unresolved disputes.
Unfortunately, such incidents are treated as isolated occurrences; it is a myopic approach when seen through the prism of rule of law. Security is beefed up after every such incident as has been done after the recent airport incident and as was done in the case of the double murder inside a sessions court last year. FIRs are registered and these cases go for trial to court but justice is rarely served. As the disputes are multifaceted, there is a need to deal with these cases on an immediate basis. An officer told The Express Tribune that most of the murders over issues related to old enmities happened because different departments prolonged the time taken to address the problems surrounding family feuds and the lack of justice.
The problem also lies in visual culture, where different cinematic productions romanticise and glorify film characters who commit acts of violence and murder. An example of such is the 1979 film Maula Jutt. Films like these play the role of a catalyst in instigating violence.
A comprehensive mechanism for reconciliation at government or state level is also missing to resolve these disputes. Concrete, pro-active measures need to be taken to put an end to every enmity, dispute, gang war and bloodshed.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 08th, 2019.
In yet another tragic incident, two men were killed while three were left injured in an incident of firing due to old enmity at the Allama Iqbal International Airport on Wednesday.
Initial police investigations reveal that the incident is interconnected with the murder of former Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) General Secretary Babar Butt two years ago. One of the deceased in the airport firing incident, identified as Zain Ali, was nominated in the First Information Report (FIR).
Former member of national assembly Sohail Shaukat Butt was also nominated in the murder of Babar Butt. Relatives of Zain had also accused the brother of late Babar Butt for masterminding the murder.
A day after the recent airport incident, Race Course police had arrested ten armed men, few of whom were trying to enter the Anti-Terrorism Court while others waited in parking. Reportedly, the suspects had come to attack the persons accused in the murder of their relative in Bhatti Gate few years ago.
Last year, an under custody suspect and a police constable were shot dead by suspects over an old enmity inside a sessions court. Police were going to present the accused for a court hearing when the incident occurred.
In 2018, a person accused in the murder of former member of provincial assembly Saiful Malook Khokhar was shot dead by a hired assassin inside a district court. Previously, there have been incidents in which mass shooting incidents have occurred especially outside courts. The provincial capital has had a history of violence related to old enmities where families have been involved. Countless precious lives have been lost in the process and there are many stakeholders involved in the unresolved disputes.
Unfortunately, such incidents are treated as isolated occurrences; it is a myopic approach when seen through the prism of rule of law. Security is beefed up after every such incident as has been done after the recent airport incident and as was done in the case of the double murder inside a sessions court last year. FIRs are registered and these cases go for trial to court but justice is rarely served. As the disputes are multifaceted, there is a need to deal with these cases on an immediate basis. An officer told The Express Tribune that most of the murders over issues related to old enmities happened because different departments prolonged the time taken to address the problems surrounding family feuds and the lack of justice.
The problem also lies in visual culture, where different cinematic productions romanticise and glorify film characters who commit acts of violence and murder. An example of such is the 1979 film Maula Jutt. Films like these play the role of a catalyst in instigating violence.
A comprehensive mechanism for reconciliation at government or state level is also missing to resolve these disputes. Concrete, pro-active measures need to be taken to put an end to every enmity, dispute, gang war and bloodshed.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 08th, 2019.