Pakistan

Supreme Court disposes of Sialkot lynching case

The Supreme Court has disposed off the hearing of the Sialkot lynching case.

September 27, 2010

The Supreme Court of Pakistan disposes of the hearing of the Sialkot lynching case today (Monday). A three member bench of the apex court conducted the hearing.

The suo moto case has been disposed of and the case has been passed on to a trial court.

The Joint investigation team has revealed to the court that Hafiz Mugheez, the elder of the two brothers who were lynched, had killed two people, which had sparked off the incident.

Deputy Prosecutor Punjab Rana Bakhtiyar appeared before the Supreme Court today and said that the police has so far arrested 28 culprits allegedly involved in the incident.

The accused reportedly include ten police officials. However the anti terrorism court has granted bail to four of the police officials.

The incident in which two brothers were tortured to death in Sialkot led to the courts taking notice. The Supreme Court had earlier taken a suo-moto notice of the incident in which two brothers were tortured to death in Sialkot.

The Sialkot police last week tightened the security of the grieved family as the case progressed further with the family facing life threats by people who were allegedly trying to prevent them from pursuing the case further.

COMMENTS (20)

SA | 14 years ago | Reply :@ SC eventually has to dispose all criminal cases. Just pray that it remains in ATC the culprits are now going to appeal to high court for a transfer. If it goes to the lower courts it will take years and years to execute them and that too is uncertain. We must do all we can to draw CJ's attention to their attempts of delaying the case.

Ali Abbas Sultan | 14 years ago | Reply We have some faith in ATC, but this case had better remained with SC

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SA | 14 years ago | Reply Yes, but Allah helps those who help themselves. We need to stand up for justice, it will not be served to us in dish. Do your best and then leave the rest to Allah!

Syed Aliyazdan Raza | 14 years ago | Reply My sincere condolences to the families of innocent mughees and muneeb and I salute their brave mother. I know she will not be able to get the judgement in her favor nor our courts have any fear of Allah to decide the cases on merit as they operate under instructions by influentials. This case is identifical to hundreds of cases that go begging. The question is not whether butt brothers killed anyone or not. The issue is the way they were tortured by police in front of DPO Waqar Chahaun and SHO, is it self a barbarian act that demands maximum punishment in accordance to the constitution of Pakistan and Shariat. Clearly, police has presented fabricated and fake story regarding mughess's involvemt in a murder case to divert attention of the court. As a muslim we are focused on Allah to decide the punishment for offenders. They have deprived her from her savings, They have mentally tortored her and left her in a state of isolation, depression and pain. May allah give her courage to sustain the pain and guide the court to announce death sentence to all offenders especially to Waqar Chauhan and SHO.

SA | 14 years ago | Reply Justice in Pakistani courts is out of question. Please write to amnestyis@amnesty.org asking them to intervene. Or else there's another genre adding to the list of terrorism in pakistani culture.

Tariq | 14 years ago | Reply I feel a bit disgusted a bit ashamed and a feeling that told me this was going to happen. I agree that no one turns to a killer overnight and ofcourse they always have a history coming along(Aurangzeb Khans post) but what makes me wake up in the middle of the night is the fact how can one justify what they did? You, no your "men", publically annihilated teenagers the whole world saw it. There was no "look at the other side of the picture" it as clear as black and white. How can one boast and claim about the the Butt brothers "had it coming". WHO ON GOD'S GREEN EARTH ARE YOU TO DECIDE!!! this pride this one man force of anarchy this self righteousness all of this will (and it already has begun) lead to our downfall as mere humans (forget even calling ourselves muslims). However i dont think the SC would throw away the case. I guess they have bigger problems to deal with, with musharraf talking about the present government now, chaos is waiting right around the corner.

lail | 14 years ago | Reply Do you guys really believe that our people have become this cruel and heartless that they would watch such a brutal scene? maybe the people are sick of the unjustice so decided to take the matter in their own hands and i just get a feeling that now we are finally loosing hope in our country, cricket and people! it was expected but really sad

SA | 14 years ago | Reply Yeah, agreed.. but its up to the police to make 'unlikely' things appear quite possible. I smell tragedy!

UT | 14 years ago | Reply @Aurangzeb Khan, well said

SA | 14 years ago | Reply Allah knows the truth, the whole world has seen the lynching videos, the culprits shouldnt have been given a chance to defend themselves or to justify this insanity and savagery on their part. The best decision would have been arresting them and straight away hanging them without any trial. Police will come up with more and more fabricated stories and they'll justify the mob's atrocity saying the boys were guilty of murders, theft and God knows what else.. negating the report of judicial commission has further defamed our systems.. this case apparently is going to cause more shame to pakistan if justice is not served. Wait and watch, there's more to follow!

Aurangzeb Khan | 14 years ago | Reply I question the conclusion that one of the Butt brothers committed the murder on various levels. But before I comment, while I have no sympathy for a criminal, an accused has rights, and his biggest right is "innocent till proven guilty". Additionally, an accused has right to a fair trial. Having said that, the only conclusion that Sukhera arrived to was from the claims of the friends of the killers - the mob, or the villagers of Butter. But they have a reason to call these brothers robbers. That is their alibi for killing Butt brothers. To time, Butt brothers are accused, but have not been proven guilty. But what if they were guilty? Does the mob have a right to administer execution? Does anyone have a right to go and kill someone already condemned to Death Row? Absolutely not. If someone killed a criminal condemned to death row, he committed a murder. So, were the Butt brothers really criminals? We will never know, but young kids who are in their early to mid teens, do not become robbers and killers overnight. Those who have such tendencies, have an attitude, which they display in their schools, among peers, in their neighborhood, and often get in trouble at school, with neighbors, and even police as they grow. It is not impossible, but very improbable that someone who never had any serious run in with the authorities, school or civil / police etc, enjoyed in general a good reputation among his acquaintance, baring some small childish behavior here or there, but BANG, turned out to be a vicious robber and killer to the surprise of all. Can happen, but highly unlikely.

UT | 14 years ago | Reply I can only say, Allah knows the truth, manipulating or making-up things in courts and with police is no difficult in pk (unfortunately), but even if he has committed the murder, what those people (including policemen) did with the two brothers is still extremely shameful and not lawful, so they must be punished for sure. I'll say again Allah knows the truth.

iby | 14 years ago | Reply if they did do the killing they must be a reason too so dont say butt family case is getting weak what ever the story is the suspects had killed two brothers they should be hanged this all investigating is too slow the more time court takes less sentance the suspects are going to get even freed thats why police police just stood never did nothing now they are on bail so tommarrow same thing will happan police wont do nothing becose the court lets them get away the police is for rich poor get guilty no matter what the case is

Naila B | 14 years ago | Reply I'm so dissapointed... What would I say more...thought those (sigh)....nothing else that I can say...

SA | 14 years ago | Reply @ Aniket, agreed. The case will now go under the carpet and the culprits will be released and walking scot free. Then one day media will wake up again, the political parties will unite and march to supreme court and raise their ever stale slogan "zalimo jawab do, khoon ka hisab do" and "Mughees aur Muneeb k qatilon ko sar-e-aam phansi do"... just as they've done in Afia Siddiqui's case.. only it will be far too late!!

Umer | 14 years ago | Reply I don’t know the exacts but I personally would say that Allah may help SC regarding the actual truth and do justice to the affectees.

Aniket | 14 years ago | Reply What else can you expect? The DPO Waqar Chauhan is an influential person. It was a forgone conclusion that they will smear the reputation of those kids and get away with murder. SHAME ON THE INVESTIGATION TEAM!

SA | 14 years ago | Reply What a pity.. the Butts have lost the case. The proceedings were taking place merely for the fear of one man, the CJ. Otherwise everyone knows how the courts work in Pakistan. @ Fahid, since you've admitted yourself that you don't know the exacts, your personal opinion holds no importance. But its always wise to go through the background before you comment over something. I suggest you go through Kazim Malik's report as well.

Tanzeel | 14 years ago | Reply Supreme Court treating this case on Kala Bagh Dam pattern.

Fahid | 14 years ago | Reply I don't know the exacts but I personally would say that SC finally came the right decision. The Joint investigation team has revealed to the court that Hafiz Mugheez, the elder of the two brothers who were lynched, had killed two people, which had sparked off the incident.

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