SC seeks report on minorities’ rights

Top court rejects AGP’s report on Peshawar church’s security.

ISLAMABAD:

Expressing concern over recent attacks on minorities, the Supreme Court (SC) sought a comprehensive report from the Ministry of Religious and Minority Affairs on the provision of minorities’ rights.

A three-judge bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani, heard the suo motu case taken up after petitioner Saleem Michael’s appeal to the court to bring the perpetrators of the All Saints Church bombing in Peshawar to justice.

Earlier, the SC directed the interior ministry to submit a report on the investigation. The ministry stated that FIR No. 728 had been registered in Peshawar and the statements of 60 people recorded. However, there is no information on the culprits, the report admitted.

On the last date of the hearing, the bench rejected the document and asked the Attorney General to explain how these attacks violate Articles 4, 9 and 20 of the Constitution.



AGP Salman Aslam Butt submitted a report on the security arrangements at the Church. The document also proposed measures to prevent future attacks.

The bench rejected the report and observed that deputing two constables at the church cannot be counted as ‘adequate security measures’. It also directed authorities to meet with representatives of the Christian and Hindu communities and ask if they are satisfied with the security measures. The hearing was adjourned for a week.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 4^th, 2014.