Chief Justice takes suo motu notice of Joseph Colony attack
IG Punjab and Advocate General Punjab summoned to Supreme Court tomorrow.
Pakistani Christians shout slogans during a protest against the attack on the homes of members of the Christian community by Muslim demonstrators, in Karachi. PHOTO: AFP
ISLAMABAD:
The Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammed Chaudhry took suo motu notice of the Joseph Colony attack, Express News reported on Sunday.
The CJP has summoned the Inspector General (IG) Punjab and advocate General Punjab to the Supreme Court tomorrow. Both have been asked to submit a comprehensive report on the Joseph Colony incident.
On March 9, an over 3,000-strong mob set ablaze more than 150 houses of Christians in the Joseph Colony over alleged blasphemous remarks against Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) by Sawan Masih, a 28-year-old Christian sanitation worker.
Shahid Imran, complainant in the FIR registered against Masih, told The Express Tribune that Sawan would utter blasphemous remarks against the Holy Prophet (pbuh) from time to time. When it happened again on Thursday, he told his friend Shafiq, who took out a knife and went straight to Sawan’s house. This visit bore no fruit. Then, on Friday, he incited other men to join him in punishing Savan.
According to Imran, the situation went out of control when people reached the spot after offering prayers under Qari Saifullah. Countless people had joined the mob, chanting slogans and throwing stones at the houses.
Qari Saifullah said that if they find Sawan, they must cut him into pieces.
The Lahore Police arrested around 100 suspected miscreants in connection to the mob attack that followed on Saturday.
Ordering a judicial inquiry, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said the arsonists would be tried in anti-terrorism courts for their ‘barbaric’ acts. He also announced that SSP Sohail Sukhera and SP Multan Khan have been immediately made OSDs, whereas the DSP and SHO of the area have been suspended.
Protests broke out, following the incident, in major cities like Lahore and Karachi.
The Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammed Chaudhry took suo motu notice of the Joseph Colony attack, Express News reported on Sunday.
The CJP has summoned the Inspector General (IG) Punjab and advocate General Punjab to the Supreme Court tomorrow. Both have been asked to submit a comprehensive report on the Joseph Colony incident.
On March 9, an over 3,000-strong mob set ablaze more than 150 houses of Christians in the Joseph Colony over alleged blasphemous remarks against Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) by Sawan Masih, a 28-year-old Christian sanitation worker.
Shahid Imran, complainant in the FIR registered against Masih, told The Express Tribune that Sawan would utter blasphemous remarks against the Holy Prophet (pbuh) from time to time. When it happened again on Thursday, he told his friend Shafiq, who took out a knife and went straight to Sawan’s house. This visit bore no fruit. Then, on Friday, he incited other men to join him in punishing Savan.
According to Imran, the situation went out of control when people reached the spot after offering prayers under Qari Saifullah. Countless people had joined the mob, chanting slogans and throwing stones at the houses.
Qari Saifullah said that if they find Sawan, they must cut him into pieces.
The Lahore Police arrested around 100 suspected miscreants in connection to the mob attack that followed on Saturday.
Ordering a judicial inquiry, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said the arsonists would be tried in anti-terrorism courts for their ‘barbaric’ acts. He also announced that SSP Sohail Sukhera and SP Multan Khan have been immediately made OSDs, whereas the DSP and SHO of the area have been suspended.
Protests broke out, following the incident, in major cities like Lahore and Karachi.