Pakistan

Media watch: Mob violence in Sialkot

Conflicting reports emerge about what sparked a public execution, while condemnation pours in for police, government.

August 22, 2010

Media watch is a daily round-up of key articles featured on news websites, hand-picked by The Express Tribune web staff.

Killing of two brothers by mob in Sialkot

Sajjad Butt and his relatives revealed that Mughees and Muneeb had gone to Buttar village on a bike to meet a relative early in the morning on August 15. They added that a dacoity had occurred there and the people falsely declared both brothers dacoits and misguided the mob which killed them mercilessly.

On the other hand, residents of Buttar village rejected the claim of Sajjad Butt. Liaquat Ali Bhatti, a villager, said that if both brothers were innocent then why were they carrying weapons. He alleged that both brothers with the help of their one or more accomplices had shot dead Bilal, a resident of Buttar village, and injured his brother Javed, servant Imran and passer-by Zeeshan for resisting a dacoity bid in the morning of August 15. (thenews.com.pk)

Sialkot tragedy

The very day newspapers reported the Sialkot double-murder, they also carried a news item about the awarding of the Tamgha-i-Imtiaz to the DIG Gujranwala, Zulfiqar Cheema, for “maintaining law and order”. The police officer, in whose jurisdiction Sialkot also falls, appears to do his job in a manner that is condemnable. (dawn.com)

JI says 'Punjab a police state'

It was a pity, they said that the Chief minister claiming to be the Khadam-e-Aala, did not deem it necessary to express regrets on the two incidents. They said the killing of two brothers in Sialkot in the presence of police officers was a blot on the face of the Punjab government and the law enforcing agencies and the incident had lowered the image of the country at international level. (nation.com.pk)

Video of mob killings sparks anguish in Pakistan

An armed robbery had taken place in the vicinity of the cricket field, so residents were on alert and police were nearby. Apparently, when the boys appeared with a bag, they were thought to be the robbers, Sherdil told The Associated Press. The boys were believed to have been in fights over the past few days for the right to play on the cricket ground. (gulfnews.com)

COMMENTS (13)

User | 14 years ago | Reply The main reason for such incidents is that our judicial system is completely corrupt.

joey954 | 14 years ago | Reply My heart goes to those two brothers family regardless of what they did or did not do. Nothing can justify the actions of the barbarians that took part in this heinous act and even worst are the ignorant (parlay darjay kay jahil) bystanders. What a shame it is! How our Pakistani society or the people of Pakisan are becoming is clearly evident in this video. This is the lowest form of brutality. Even animals would not treat their own like this. May Allah give the family of these to boys sabar and may Allahs wrath upon the individuals responsible for this heinous act.

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lazy bee | 14 years ago | Reply My heart goes for the parents, I pray that no one has to go through like they had to. Biggest problem with our society is JAAHALAT, I can bet half of the people who did this, didn't knew why they were doing this horrific crime. Personally I hold the whole country responsible. Our most corrupt department i.e POLICE , should be fired immediately, the police employees, people involved in killing , and the spectators should be hanged at the same spot AFTER BEATING them SAME WAY. My fellow citizens, please do not let the government or the police, get away with this, otherwise worst more is yet to come. Rehman Malik should be sitting on needles till justice is served, if tries to get away with this , charge him for accessory to double murder. We have to raise our voices so high that can be heard, if we are going to act like cowards, like all Sialkoties, then HUM SUB PER HAZAAR LAANAT. Do not let the lives of these 2 innocent boys go wasted. Our nation is cursed from all corners, we need to show sympathy, love and care for each other, we are not living in prehistoric time. Even Jungles have some rules, but Pakistan beats all odds. Our brains are so numb that we cannot even between good and evil. Once again my deepest condolences to the parents, I wish I could bring their loved ones back.

ali khan | 14 years ago | Reply well all i can say is that whilst i live in london....i am ashamed to be a pakistani and also ashamed tp admit that this happened the holy month of ramadan. We have as pakistani need to look at ourself and our image in the world. Nothing can justify the action taken in sialkot, it was unhuman and shame on the people who committed the crime, shame on the police who watched it, shame on the people who watch the barberic show and shame on the politician who are making a show of the incident.....it shocks me to believe that these are all muslims and they believe the teaching of the quran and prophet mohammad....remember these videos and news has been seen around the world and the shame it is bringing shame to our people and our country.

Tufail | 14 years ago | Reply Ahmed , I am very much impressed the way you described solution to this social problem

Tufail | 14 years ago | Reply I agree with you Bilal. that this is all due to our poor judicial system.

Umer | 14 years ago | Reply My only saying that by doing such shamefull doings,s r we inviting more disaster from Almighty God. Already we have seen a big exapmple in the form of fllod............ May Allah Forgive us and the culprets should have been hanged.

sunny | 14 years ago | Reply Sialkot lynching

Ejaz | 14 years ago | Reply It was the worst example of lawlessness and that too in a so called Islamic country and of all the months in the holy Ramadan. emphasized text It couldn't be any uglier! Culprits who brutally killed the innocent brothers along with idiot policemen should be hanged publically to death!No mercy on people who have no regard for humanity. They should be given a death as painful or even worst!

ahmed | 14 years ago | Reply news reports are now emerging that the two guys lynched were involved in a robbery attempt where one person was killed and two injured. The widow of the person murdered (bilal) has now come out claiming that the two brothers killed her husband. She is also being threatened to keep her mouth shut because politicians are now trying to gain brownie points from that incident. The main reason for such incidents is that our judicial system is completely corrupt. If these kids were sent to jail and tried for murdering bilal, then they would have never been convicted and the widow of bilal would have been threatened and harassed to take her case back. I would like to suggest that people should not get overly emotional about the whole incidence. DIG Gujranwala is a very popular personality in this area who openly kills murderers in encounters and has known to have eliminated a lot of crime in this area. The hard fact is that crime is sky high and we need swift justice to instill fear into anyone who even thinks about committing a crime.

Khan, S | 14 years ago | Reply When the police Mubaqila is legalized this will keep on happning and the dead accused displayed as war trophy is this in line with Islamic tradition or humman values.

Hasan | 14 years ago | Reply Just wondering if the beating of these Jamaat Islami related boys was any different from Islami Jamiaat-e-Talba beating to almost death of the professor recently in PU, and beating to death of a student in Peshawar University over music by IJT recently. May be some JI person can elaborate.

Farhan | 14 years ago | Reply My only question to all is that is this humanity and shame on all who were by stander. They don't even have the right to be called humans. Such a pity

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