Panel to decide need for Jaranwala commission

The Punjab government has constituted a committee to determine the need for a judicial commission to investigate the tragic Jaranwala incident, the Lahore High Court was told on Friday.

The demand to set up a judicial commission was earlier made by a petitioner from the Christian community.

A report was submitted in the LHC on behalf of the Punjab chief secretary in response to a previous order of Justice Asim Hafeez, wherein the chief secretary’s input had been sought over whether or not the judicial commission should be constituted. According to the report, a committee to ascertain the need of a judicial commission will be formed. “The said committee will look into this matter and its findings will be submitted before the court,” it stated.

In light of the report, Justice Hafeez adjourned the proceedings till September 22. Last month, the Christian community had demanded the formation of a “judicial inquiry committee” to fairly investigate the Jaranwala incident.

They informed the LHC about being pressurized by police officials, forcing assailants to reach a compromise, as well as against continuous threats to their lives by some Muslim extremists. The demand had been made by petitioner Peter Charles, chairman of Grace Bible Fellowship Church Pakistan.

In the petition filed through advocate Shahbaz Fazal Saroya in LHC, Charles complained against the State, the local administration and law enforcement authorities, which according to the community, failed in refraining the flared mob from torching nearly two dozen churches and attacking their residences over blasphemy charges in Faisalabad’s Jaranwala town.

Charles requested the court to look into all co-accused and extremists identified in CCTV footage and other relevant evidence. It was further requested to pass directions to the concerned quarters to provide immediate financial and administrative resources to victims of the Christian community so they can come back to their routine lives without facing any serious consequences.

In earlier proceedings, a reply on behalf of the chief secretary had been submitted before the court. The court was updated that the incident took place on August 16, 2023, and 21 FIRs had been registered in various police stations at Jaranwala, as per the Inspector General Police (IGP) Punjab.

The reply also stated that the government also constituted 10 Joint Investigation Teams (JITs) to investigate the cases. In light of the reply, it was further requested the court to dispose of the petition.

Petition

The petitioner contended that on August 16, a very unreal fake and frivolous announcement was made about the defiling of the Holy Quran in Jaranwala by one fanatic at a local mosque, triggering an extreme reaction in the shape of a mob setting more than 25 churches ablaze.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 16^th, 2023.