Double murder at Rawalpindi Judicial Complex exposes police performance and compels Punjab govt to take this decision
The provincial government has decided to conduct jail trial of high-profile murder cases in the respective jails of Punjab, Pakistan Today has learnt.
The decision was taken on the orders of Lahore High Court (LHC) Chief Justice Yawar Ali, after high profile double-murder incident at Judicial Complex Rawalpindi, which exposed the poor security arrangements of Rawalpindi police.
On March 28, a handcuffed under-trial murder suspect was gunned down in the heavily-guarded Judicial Complex by relatives of the victim. The man who opened fire at him was also killed.
The incident has badly exposed the tall claims of Rawalpindi administration. According to the sources, the culprit entered the complex in lawyer’s uniform with sophisticated weapons which remained a big question.
After the incident, LHC chief justice visited the Judicial Complex and held meeting with top police officials including Punjab Inspector General of Police Arif Nawaz Khan, Regional Police Officer Wasal Fakhar Sultan Raja, Rawalpindi City Police Officer Israr Ahmed Abbasi, Justice Ibad-ur-Rehman Lodhi of Rawalpindi Bench, LHC Registrar Bahadar Ali Khan, District and Sessions Judge Khalid Nawaz, Lahore High Court Bar Association (Rawalpindi bench) President Hassan Raza Pasha and District Court Bar Association President Khurram Masood Kayani.
During the meeting, CPO Israr Abbasi briefed the LHC CJ, however, Justice Ibad-ur-Rehman Lodhi declared it was a security lapse and asked the CPO to accept his failure. “You are on a key position in the city for the last three years and this incident is a clearly a security lapse,” said Justice Lodhi.
It was decided that police would collect data of high-profile murder cases from Punjab and then their trials would be conducted in respective jails in order to avoid any untoward incident. The sources said that Punjab Home Department has started compiling data of high-profile murder cases which would be shared with LHC chief justice and all the districts of Punjab so the trials in the jails could be ensured.
According to the sources, 43 police personnel were deputed in the Judicial Complex. However, the killer easily managed to enter the complex on a rented vehicle.
During the meeting the CJ directed the Punjab IG to take extra-ordinary security measures in the complex and it was decided that security would be beefed up and lawyers will be bound to enter the complex through walk-through gates. “Lawyers and clients are not allowed to take their vehicles inside the complex,” said the official, who attended the meeting.
