Lahore siege: Chief justice takes suo motu notice

Statement issued by court referred to media reports and noted that Police had not taken action against the attackers.

ISLAMABAD:

Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry on Sunday took suo motu notice of the destruction of over 178 homes of Christians in Lahore’s Joseph Colony a day earlier and asked Punjab government officials to submit a comprehensive report on the incident today (Monday).

“The matter be fixed in the Court on 11.3.2013 as a Constitution Petition under Article 184(3) of the Constitution.  Notices be issued to the Advocate General and Inspector General of Police, Punjab to appear and put up comprehensive reports,” read the order passed by Justice Chaudhry. The action was taken on an office note initiated by the Supreme Court registrar based on press clippings from different newspapers containing the details of the incident.

The statement issued by the court referred to media reports and noted that the Police had not taken action against the attackers.

“The mob comprising thousands of infuriated protesters attacked Joseph Colony on Noor Road in the Badami Bagh area and forced some 170 Christian families to flee the area. They ransacked and looted the houses, threw household items out, doused them with petrol and set fire to them,” read the SC statement.

“They also torched the houses of many such people who had nothing to do with the incident. The attackers went on the rampage, setting on fire many houses, damaging vehicles and hurling stones at the police.”

“However, the police did not take any action against the people who were damaging property and setting it on fire,” it added.Narrating the incident, the court statement further noted that several policemen were injured in the heavy pelting of stones.

“The police lobbed tear-gas shells and resorted to a baton-charge to disperse the mob. The protesters then retreated but only to regroup, targeting the houses of Christians. The firefighters had to make hectic efforts for many hours to put out the fire. Many rescuers also received injuries while performing their duty.”

Published in The Express Tribune, March 11^th, 2013.