Pakistan: Punjab Police admits failure to protect Badami Bagh victims

Daily Times

The Punjab Police has admitted before the Supreme Court on Monday that when the crowd gathered at Badami Bagh stated pelting stones on the police, all the officials and officers fled the area and failed to protect the Christians. Submitting a report in pursuance of the court order during the hearing of suo motu case regarding Badami Bagh incident, CCPO Muhammad Amlesh Khan told the court that policemen had started retreating as the crowd started throwing stones at them. Police entered a godown and closed the doors. SP Multan Khan took refuge on the third floor of the godown, while the SHO and DSP along with the force closed the main gate. On this, the crowd returned to Joseph Colony and set ablaze the quarters of Christians. They also brought belongings from the house to the main road and set them on fire. The report also notes that the officers returned to Joseph Colony when much of the damage had been done. The court has granted another seven days to the CCPO Lahore to thoroughly investigate burning of Joseph Colony houses. The court also directed the Establishment Division secretary to appoint the inspector general of police in Punjab with consultation of chief secretary of the province. Punjab advocate general informed the court that the IGP’s post has been vacant since January 1, 2013. He said that despite repeated requests so far the federal government has not appointed the IGP in the province. The court noted that similar situation was prevailing in Sindh where the IGP post has been lying vacant since March 6, 2013, and ultimately the court had to pass an order to the Establishment Division secretary to appoint the IGP for maintenance of law and order in the province. A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and comprising Justice Gulzar Ahmed and Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed was hearing the case related to the burning of Christian colony in Badami Bagh, Lahore. The high-ups of police also admitted in the report that the incident is the result of instigators in both the groups – Aman and Ittehad – whose names have been mentioned in the report. The court noted that prima facie the police failed to protect the properties of the residents of Joseph Colony. The chief justice remarked that the CCPO has noted this conduct of police officers in the conclusion of his report. Advocate General Asther Ausaf told the court that 48 persons have been arrested and 67 have yet to be arrested. Directing the SC registrar to send the copy of this order to the Establishment Division and the Punjab chief secretary, so they could make arrangement for the appointment of the Punjab IGP, the court adjourned the hearing until April 1.