SC to form special cells for human rights, minorities

• Top court summons police officials involved in killing of youth in ‘encounter’

LAHORE:  Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Saqib Nisar on Sunday observed that two different cells, one for minorities and the other for human rights, would be established at the Supreme Court’s Lahore Registry to address the complaints received in this regard and entertain applications of such persons as well as minorities.

The chief justice was hearing a case pertaining to the killing of a man in a police shootout at the apex court’s Lahore registry. The court also summoned police officials involved in the killing in Sialkot.

A day earlier, the chief justice took action on the matter after Sughra Bibi, mother of the deceased, intercepted his vehicle when he was leaving the court premises after hearing a number of cases.

The chief justice ordered provision of security to the woman complainant and summoned DIG Abu Bakar Khuda Buksh to assist the court in the matter on next hearing.

He directed Barrister Salman Safdar to represent the deceased’s mother in the case.

The chief justice observed that justice will only be provided on the basis of facts, not vociferous call for it.

The Punjab prosecutor general apprised the court of facts of the case in detail. Two judicial inquiries were carried out in the matter, of which one decided in the complainant’s favour, he added.

The hearing of the case was adjourned until April 07.

It is pertinent to note that shortly after her son’s death, Sughran Bibi, a resident of Khayali, had submitted a case against 21 people for torturing her son to death. She had named two army majors, a local station house officer (SHO) and other police officials in her complaint.

The court had sent six accused, including two majors to jail. However, in January 2011, Sughran Bibi and the witnesses changed their statements saying that Zulfikar died after a fall. Reports claimed that the woman received Rs2,400,000 in blood money to drop the charges against the culprits.

Justice Saqib Nisar also observed that two different cells, one for minorities and the other for human rights, would be established at the Supreme Court’s Lahore Registry to address the complaints received in this regard.

He said that the cells would entertain applications of such persons as well as minorities.