Lal Masjid Commission seeks evidences of 2007 Operation Sunrise

The one-man Judicial Commission on Tuesday asked the general public to provide information or evidences about the 2007 military operation, which had resulted in nearly 100 deaths, mostly students of the religious school ‘Jamia Hafsa’.

Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry ordered a judicial commission earlier this month to probe the matter, observing that police have failed to satisfy the court.

The Commission has now started work to probe Lal Masjid incident on the directive of the Supreme Court has started its proceedings by seeking relevant information/evidences.

According to a press statement, the Commission headed by Justice Shahzado Shaikh of the Federal Shariat Court, informed that anyone who could get themselves registered at the desk established by the Secretariat of the Commission during December 19 to 26.

The people willing to share such information were asked to submit complete data and particulars with the desk, the statement said. The Commission was also publishing a public notice in major newspapers regarding the information required and the format of registration process.

A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, had heard the case. Assistant Inspector General (AIG) of Police Tahir Alam Khan had presented a report prepared before the court.

Police had been ordered to hand over all documents relating to the case to the one-man commission. The commission will seek answers to the following questions:

What were the reasons behind the Lal Masjid operation? How many civilians and security personnel were killed in the operation? Were all the dead identified and bodies handed over to their loved ones? Were the victims’ families paid the compensation promised by the government? Was any legal action initiated against those who carried out the operation? With the available evidence, is it possible to identify those responsible for the casualties during the siege and the raid on the mosque?

The commission has been directed to present its report in a period of 45 days.

A petitioned has also been submitted before the Supreme Court of Pakistan, asking the apex court to withdraw its decision of appointing a one-man commission.

Shahhid Orakzai in his petition contended that under its rules the apex court cannot appoint a fact-finding body in criminal matters.

The commission was given 45 days to probe the causes that led to the clashes between security forces and the Lal Masjid people, the number and gender of those killed, whether the dead were identified and bodies handed to legal heirs and whether it was possible to fix responsibility against those behind the entire incident.

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Posted by Tahir Khan on Dec 18 2012. Filed under Latest News, National, Pakistan. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.