Pakistan

SC to receive report in 2 or 3 days: inquiry committee

The committee says substantial evidence regarding the Sialkot lynching incident has been gathered.

August 24, 2010

SIALKOT: An inquiry committee, formed to collect evidence on the Sialkot murder case, has completed its report, which will be submitted to the Supreme Court in two or three days, former Judge Kazim Mali said on Tuesday.

Speaking at a press conference in Sialkot, the head of the committee said that substantial evidence regarding the incident has been gathered. He added that he is not authorised to publish the report as that decision rests with the courts.

“Statements of over a hundred people, from laymen to officials, have been recorded. There is sufficient material to reach a conclusion,” he said.

According to sources, as many as 113 people recorded their statements in front of the commission.

The former judge said that the report consists of two parts – the first dealing with circumstantial facts and the second with recommendations.

Responding to a question, he said it was completely devoid of any pressure, and clarified that he was an inquiry officer, not an investigation officer. “I have subtly dug out the incident to examine every aspect,” he said. He also disclosed that certain TV channels helped him in the process but declined to disclose their names.

Meanwhile, former Sialkot DPO Waqar Ahmed Chohan has been granted bail from the Rawalpindi Bench of the Lahore high court till August 30. He was detained by the Sialkot police on Monday. Chohan has been charged with negligence and for failing to stop the merciless lynching of the teenage brothers.

The murder of Hafiz Moeez Butt and Muneeb Butt, who were brutally beaten to death in the presence of a large crowd and police officials on August 15, has left the country in shock.

“You are responsible for the killings and you should have been behind bars,” Chief Justice of Pakistan warned Chohan on Thursday.

According to the FIR, Moeez and Muneeb were going to visit their relatives in village Buttar-Sialkot, when some people caught them and raised an alarm that they were bandits. The incident has led to the suspension of 14 policemen.

Sialkot police have claimed to arrest main accused Muhammad Akram and five others of Buttar village.

According to senior police officials, Akram, 33, disclosed during the preliminary investigation that he got the ropes from Rescue 1122 Daska Road station and tied up the hands, arms and legs of the two victims. AGENCIES (with additional reporting by Junaid Aftab in Sialkot)

Published in The Express Tribune, August 25^th, 2010.

COMMENTS (18)

Dia | 14 years ago | Reply @Muji: mentioning a hadees is certainly far from ignorance but it has to be relevant. You mentioned it as a response to my words it simply doesnt fit in. When and where did I say we should ignore the incident and let the things go the way they are going? Where did I say we should do nothing to stop such atrocity? And by the way I dont mean to get personal but to what extent have you played your role in stopping anything wrong? Lets take the incident of sialkot lynching for instance, have you even participated in the protests? If you have, fair enough. But next time you quote hadees, make sure its of relevance otherwise let me come up with dozens of them and lets turn into a religious forum. Then you spoke of my arrogance. Mind telling me where have I called myself "superior" to indians??? I spoke of integrity and privacy nothing of superiority. Infact indians are far more superior than pakis at least they have a sense of nationalism which we so badly lack. Thats why they have prospered as a nation, and look where we stand!! And the last question, where did I criticize him as a indian? You wrote "Pak people do what they are best at is critcizing others while they personally arent making any effort whatsoever" please tell me where the element of criticism lies? I tendered apology to him for having sounded bitter but there was no criticism you were only assuming too much. I said why not rectify your own police first, that doesnt imply criticism but its more of a question as we know that such incidents happen in india too (only NOW have I said this). Dear you need to go through the post first before you start venting your emotions. I'm sure you'll get ample chances in future to exhibit your love for india...

Dia | 14 years ago | Reply @Loyal Sequeria, no you haven't sounded bitter so you need not apologize, and as for your description of the word hypocrite, Alhamdolillah I dont fit in :)

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Muji | 14 years ago | Reply @Dia: If mentioning a Hadith is ignorance - then may the Almighty have mercy on you, me, and all of us. If putting the differences aside and coming together to show love, care, and passion to each other irrespective of race is ignorance - then may the Almighty help us as we are far from the guided ones. Have we forgotten, that in the Holy Quran it is mentioned that Allah does not guide people based on race, color, gender, etc. Rather the dearest to him is the one who has taqwa. So why draw all these boundaries of Indian, Paki, etc. Those things should not exist. All muslims are like one and should help each other (muslims and non-muslims) in the time of need and even otherwise whenever possible.

Loyal Sequeira | 14 years ago | Reply @Dia: I guess, I will leave it to You to sort out the Humanity issues in Pakistan. I dont know you, but i do hope that you are Loyal to your country as you were not quiet impressed with Sharukh and Katrina, so therefore i assume you dont watch movies from India, and nither listen to music from India either, niether do you support the cultural things Pakistani people have adopted from India like Mehndi, Dowry, Haldi Rasam, Holi, Diwali, Raksha Bandan, coz if you were to admire or practice any of the cultural pratices from India, your statement above would not carry any weight and it would make you a hypocrite. I apologise aswell for having sounded bitter.

Dia | 14 years ago | Reply Muji you better learn to control your emotions, the ignorance is well reflected in your highly charged response rather than in anyone else's words!! If this is a humanity issue, let it be dealt within our border and if its not, take it to the united nations, why india! People just dont seem to have common sense when it comes to the land of shahrukh khan and katrina kaif duh!! You must first of all learn to respect the integrity and privacy of your internal affairs. I respect all across the border, but as for sharing our internal affairs, I'll draw a line. Thank you Loyal S.. we appreciate your gesture but let the charity begin at home. All the best for your noble cause and please dont be offended by my words! I apologize for having sounded bitter.

Loyal Sequeira | 14 years ago | Reply @Muji:Thankyou for reminding the readers of the Noble Hadith, and may it be known that your comment was highly regarded not because you stood up for me, but because of the fact that you realised what my message is about. Yes it's about HUMANITY. But Sister Dia and Brother Irfan are of the understanding that's it's about degrading People of Pakistan by and Indian. I dont care where i'm from as i personally believe that Countries and States are man made. God never created a division between people that related to Race, Nationality, caste, etc God only looks at righteousess deeds. By default all Muslims were expected to be Humans and preach and spread Humanity to the whole of mankind. Alas We Muslims are so far behind.

Loyal Sequeira | 14 years ago | Reply @Irfan: Irfan, for 18 hours ON and OFF i've been thinking whether I should even bother wasting my energy to reply to you. You quoted "Such events are very few in Pakistan (but I know in India hundrads of rape and other such cases go unnoticed)and you have seen uproar of Pakistani nation … we are sad, we are sorry, we are deparate becuase this not our face"Firstly I would agree with the fact that there would bound to be more events of Inhumanity in India as there is Caste systems, different political groups, different sects within religions, poverty, and other key things, fact also remains that India is a much bigger country hense a lot more people than in pakistan. So i do not dispute you on that particular point. However in relation to the uproar you mentioned in Pakistan against acts against Humanity, well i personally feel that your judgement is not based on facts I believe and know that there is more uproar created by public and even to the extent where they come out to protest at the airport when Pakistani Cricket team returns home loosing. So please dont give me that crap. Secondly you Quoted "our real face is brotherhood, charity, peace and tolerance as educated by our Holy Prophet." So therefore being the followers of Muhammad (PBUH) the responsibility in at large in our so called Muslim Countries to stand against corruption. Being a Revert to Islam I am willing to take that responsibility not just in Pakistan but I'm willing to take it for the entire mankind. In future, rather than jumping to conclusions and being aggresive please take a moment to ponder on the facts. May Allah give me the strength to act upon what I have said. If i have hurt your feeling please do forgive me.

Dia | 14 years ago | Reply The ugly fact of the matter is that like all the other departments, corruption prevails in media too. Our tv channels are trying to outdo each other and in such endeavours they get carried away by adding a phrase at the end of even the most gruesome and heinious breaking news, and the phrase is "yeh khabar sab se pehle hum ne aap tak pohonchai"!! This has tarnished our country's image beyond repair. Crimes take place in every part of the world but the media remains within limits. As for paki media, we report everything that is negative merely to outdo the competitors, not to educate masses as there are hardly any corrective actions suggested by our channels. And what good has paki public done so far after the corruption is brought to their notice?? Nothing.. they see shrinks, take anti-depressants, have a few sleepless nights and eventually vote for the same culprits in the next elections! However on the matter of sialkot lynching, media has thankfully stirred some action (except that they shouldn't have run the footage so many times) And I agree with Irfan that we need to be sorry because this is not our face, or to make it sound more appropriate, this is how our face ought to be. That is what has outraged the masses! I am ashamed as a pakistani over what took place because this is NOT what pakistan was established for. Yet my optimism is on the road to recovery as I see people protesting over the incident and praying for the victims, floods of comments over the internet demanding justice. I hope this is going to be a moment of revolution!

Muji | 14 years ago | Reply Enough of ignorance!!! Here is a person from India offering some help and there is so much arrogance and ignorance in our society that you people are trying to make it Indo-Pak issue. This is a humanity issue. Regardless of where these types of crimes happen - they are wrong and people commiting such acts should be severly punished. Please look at the intention behind Loyal Sequeira words. He is trying to help and trying to make an effort to stop such shameful acts. And what happens...again...Pak people do what they are best at is critcizing others while they personally arent making any effort whatsoever. Come on people - wake up. Do not criticize each other, we are all humans and should learn to love each other and show care and passion to each other. Remember the hadith - where Prophet (pbuh) said that when we see some wrong act we should try to physically stop it, if we cannot do that - then we should verbally make an effort to stop it - if we cant even do that - then hate that act inside your heart and surely that is the weakest of Iman. Have we gone below that level of Iman????

Irfan | 14 years ago | Reply @Loyal Sequeira:"I totally agree with Dia .... You said "I believe that people of Pakistan are not sleeping, they are simply dead, thier hearts are only pumping blood and apart from that doing nothing else." NO NO your are wrong and mistaken. It is public pressure from Pakistani nation and media that all politicians are coming to condole family of victim and everyone is assuring them of justic. Pakistani look like sleeping but they are always awake. You will see Justice soon. Such events are very few in Pakistan (but I know in India hundrads of rape and other such cases go unnoticed)and you have seen uproar of Pakistani nation ... we are sad, we are sorry, we are deparate becuase this not our face .. our real face is brotherhood, charity, peace and tolerance as educated by our Holy Prophet.

Loyal Sequeira | 14 years ago | Reply @Dia: Dia I take your comment onboard, however the fact of the matter is that there is a Television program in Place on Aaj Tak Channel, where videos are sent of curroption. I do know that the news channels in Pakistan are doing a good job when they receive such videos to publish and bring in to the people's attention, however as Brother Khan rightly said we only tend to discuss it, have a session and then disperse.

Dia | 14 years ago | Reply @ Loyal Sequeira: "My plan bascially is to launch a website for Pakistani people in Pakistan to upload videos of incidents, where corruption is involved by the Police officials of Pakistan..." And you say you're from india??? Why would you care to rectify "our" police force instead of yours? I think you should extend your social services to india first!

Khan, S | 14 years ago | Reply Old Persian quote We dicussed ,We had a session, we dispersed This is what has happend in past with the committes & will happen with this, the first sigh are already visible SHO LET OFF NO POLICEMEN ARRESTED DPO GRANTED BAIL

Loyal Sequeira | 14 years ago | Reply I myself being from India get to hear similar cases quiet often from India, however the fact that those incidents go uncaptured on camera, it's hard for one to feel the pain and agony. I watched the gruesome torturing of these brothers on youtube, and I feel that humanity has been disgraced. Those watching this gruesome act and doing nothing to stop, i believe were dead prior to those brothers, for if they werent dead then this act would have stopped.One thing to learn from this and people reading this should pray to Allah that if ever such an act was to be commited whilst any one of us witnessing it, that may Allah gives us the strenght and courage to stop it, even if it means the loss of our life. As Islam says If you save one person, it's like you have saved the whole of humanity, and if you kill one innocent, it's like you have killed the whole of humanity. I believe that people of Pakistan are not sleeping, they are simply dead, thier hearts are only pumping blood and apart from that doing nothing else. Please Brothers and Sisters Let's stand together and put an end to this. As my wife is from Pakistan, I am planning to take a step which might be useful, I just need help and prayers to start working on it. My plan bascially is to launch a website for Pakistani people in Pakistan to upload videos of incidents, where corruption is involved by the Police officials of Pakistan. I do know that it might not achieve much but atleast if we start rectifying our Police force and if we were to catch them red-handed we might get the corrupt ones out and the ordinary people would be encouraged to take videos where such corrupt acts are put in practice. Brothers and Sisters by all means i am open to any suggestions so feel free. my email is loyalsequeira@gmail.com and my number is +353866602266.

Farukh Sarwar | 14 years ago | Reply The whole public must demand the report of this enquiry to be made public, because it’s their right to know what happened to the case. Unfortunately it has happened in the past that many of the important cases have been closed and the public never gets to know the final verdict.

Muhammad Shujaat | 14 years ago | Reply It was indeed savagery unbelievable!Couldn't have even dreamt of such brutality even in jungles. God bless the diseased souls and grant solace to the survivors of the family. We should be asahmed of this act.

Asma | 14 years ago | Reply This inquiry report should be published and all responsible for this brutal act should be publicly executed in the same manner as they barbarically killed the boys. There is no room in our religion to take matters into our own hands and inflict such a cruel death on another human being. This is the act of hypocrites, munafiqs, who should be given such severe punishment that nobody ever dares to do this again. It is up to the people of Pakistan to demand action and not let our judiciary, alone, fight with the government over what should be done. Our government is the most corrupt govt. in the world and also in the history of our nation. We should NOT trust them with anything. We must rally the Chief Justice to dole out such a severe sentence that all perpetrators, regardless of which MNA/MPA is backing them, are brought to justice. It is time Pakistani people stood on the streets to demand accountability. If we can find time to go and throw eggs and tomatoes on our cricket team if they return home after losing a series of matches, we should certainly have enough guts to gather round our courts and show our support for true justice!!

Bahawalpur | 14 years ago | Reply want Chohan to be hanged he is responsible for that gruesome tragedy

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