Lahore killings: Top cops fail to give satisfactory response to judicial commission
IG Punjab, district coordination officer and Lahore Development Authority director appear before judicial commission.
A judicial commission was set up to probe the clash between police and PAT supporters. PHOTO: MEHMOOD QURESHI/EXPRESS
LAHORE:
The top three officers of the Punjab government failed to give satisfactory statements to a judicial commission probing into the clashes between police and supporters of the Pakistan Awami Tehrik (PAT), which left at least 11 dead and several injured on Tuesday.
IG Punjab Mushtaq Sukhera, district coordination officer (DCO) Lahore Capt (retd) Usman and Lahore Development Authority (LDA) Director General Ahad Khan Cheema appeared before the commission to record their statements today.
Sukhera informed the commission that the matter is being investigated internally and the superintendent of police is heading the process. He further added that the details of the matter would be shared with the commission after completion.
The commission had earlier asked Cheema to file a detailed report about the clashes today (Thursday). However, he failed to do so on the basis that his department is strictly related to allotments of land and thus, he has nothing to do with this matter.
The commission, however, asked him to present minutes of his meeting held with the IG Punjab and Capital City Police Officer Lahore about the operation.
Furthermore, the DCO was directed to present a report regarding the barriers placed around the PAT secretariat and details of officers who asked for the removal of the barriers within a day.
Lahore High Court Justice Ali Akbar Najfi, who was heading the one-man commission, directed Sukhera to present records of FIRs registered, updates regarding the investigation, names and ranks of police personnel deputed on the spot and names of police officers who assigned duties for the operation by Friday.
Suggestions for commission
Najfi asked the audience for suggestions for an effective investigation of the clashes.
In this regard, Abdullah Malik, a rights activist, suggested that the commission should direct the police to release the arrested PAT supporters and ensure that the medico-legal certificates and postmortem reports are not tampered with.
Furthermore, a lawyer requested the commission for permission of relatives and counsels of arrested people to visit the arrested supporters as they are not being allowed to, while another asked for the suspension of FIRs registered against PAT supporters.
An advocate also submitted an application before the commission requesting Justice Najfi to quit this commission saying that the government never implements suggestions made by various commissions appointed for investigations. He further added that the governments have always used the judiciary to share the responsibility of their wrongdoings.
However, Najfi said that he will give him an appropriate answer in this regard. Later, the commission adjourned the hearing till Friday.
The top three officers of the Punjab government failed to give satisfactory statements to a judicial commission probing into the clashes between police and supporters of the Pakistan Awami Tehrik (PAT), which left at least 11 dead and several injured on Tuesday.
IG Punjab Mushtaq Sukhera, district coordination officer (DCO) Lahore Capt (retd) Usman and Lahore Development Authority (LDA) Director General Ahad Khan Cheema appeared before the commission to record their statements today.
Sukhera informed the commission that the matter is being investigated internally and the superintendent of police is heading the process. He further added that the details of the matter would be shared with the commission after completion.
The commission had earlier asked Cheema to file a detailed report about the clashes today (Thursday). However, he failed to do so on the basis that his department is strictly related to allotments of land and thus, he has nothing to do with this matter.
The commission, however, asked him to present minutes of his meeting held with the IG Punjab and Capital City Police Officer Lahore about the operation.
Furthermore, the DCO was directed to present a report regarding the barriers placed around the PAT secretariat and details of officers who asked for the removal of the barriers within a day.
Lahore High Court Justice Ali Akbar Najfi, who was heading the one-man commission, directed Sukhera to present records of FIRs registered, updates regarding the investigation, names and ranks of police personnel deputed on the spot and names of police officers who assigned duties for the operation by Friday.
Suggestions for commission
Najfi asked the audience for suggestions for an effective investigation of the clashes.
In this regard, Abdullah Malik, a rights activist, suggested that the commission should direct the police to release the arrested PAT supporters and ensure that the medico-legal certificates and postmortem reports are not tampered with.
Furthermore, a lawyer requested the commission for permission of relatives and counsels of arrested people to visit the arrested supporters as they are not being allowed to, while another asked for the suspension of FIRs registered against PAT supporters.
An advocate also submitted an application before the commission requesting Justice Najfi to quit this commission saying that the government never implements suggestions made by various commissions appointed for investigations. He further added that the governments have always used the judiciary to share the responsibility of their wrongdoings.
However, Najfi said that he will give him an appropriate answer in this regard. Later, the commission adjourned the hearing till Friday.