Judicial report handed over to apex court

SIALKOT: A high-level judicial commission on Tuesday shared its report on the Sialkot lynching with the Supreme Court, as details of the arrest of a former district police officer and a sub-inspector emerged. A regular hearing of the case is scheduled today.

On August 15, teenage brothers Hafiz Mugheez and Muneeb, were mercilessly beaten and then hanged by a mob in the presence of police officials and Rescue 1122 personnel in Buttar village on the outskirts of Sialkot. Nearly all the 18 accused suspects, except one, have been shifted to the Cantt police station for further investigation. A day earlier the anti-terrorism court in Gujranwala had given them a seven-day remand.

Sub Inspector Shahinshah Bukhari, who was holding a preliminary investigation, has also been arrested. According to DPO Bilal Sadiquie Kamiyana, former DPO Waqar Chohan who was one of the police officials present at the site of the lynching, has been “officially” arrested. He will be produced before the anti-terrorism court today, along with four policemen. He was previously under house arrest. (Additional input from PPI)

Published in The Express Tribune, September 1^st, 2010.