Policemen arrested for sectarian murders

GILGIT: The Gilgit police have arrested three policemen in connection with the recent sectarian killings that triggered skirmishes between rival sects last week, officials said on Friday.

Six others, suspected of burning three houses near Yadgar Chowk, have also been rounded up.

The policemen arrested are Azamt Ali, a resident of Nagral, Asif Hussain, a resident of Majini Muhallah, and Syed Afzal a resident of Ampheri, said a police official, adding that they were all constables and serving as guards with different senior officials. They have been arrested in connection with the murder of three people, he said.

“Investigations are underway and it will soon be established if they were involved or not,” said the official, adding that the total number of arrests was 20 during the recent violence that created fresh tension in a region that has a long history of sectarian violence.

Chief Minister Gilgit-Baltistan Mehdi Shah said that lower grade policemen were involved in such crimes. He said that inter-district postings of police will be made to improve the situation in Gilgit.

Those involved in arson would be dealt with an iron hand, Shah said, adding that compensation would be paid to the affectees promptly so that they could reconstruct their houses and start living there.

“It is the first time that police have been arrested in such a crime,” Shah said.

He had met with Interior Minister Rehman Malik in Islamabad to discuss the security situation, after which it was decided to launch a deweaponisation campaign in the city.

Gilgit remained tense on Friday too with a large number of markets and shops staying closed for fear of violence. Locals said they preferred to stay indoors rather than venturing out into markets. However, with a heavy contingent of security forces patrolling the city, things remained calm.

After Friday prayers, Tanzim Ahle Sunnah took out a rally in Kashrote to condemn the violence, demanding that the government punish the culprits and compensate those affected immediately.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 28^th, 2010.