ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has admonished the Punjab police for failing to safeguard a Hindu temple in Rahim Yar Khan and has ordered taking action against the culprits involved in the attack.
A two-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed and comprising Justice Qazi Muhammad Amin, on Friday, heard a suo motu notice taken on the application of Dr Ramesh Kumar, chairperson of Pakistan Hindu Council.
The chief justice, expressing annoyance, asked: “what the Punjab police and the district administration were doing when the mob attacked the temple?”
He ordered the Inspector General (IG) Punjab police and the chief secretary Punjab to arrest the culprits and submit reports to the court accordingly.
A charged mob in Bhong village of Punjab’s Rahim Yar Khan district on August 4 vandalised a Hindu temple.
A video clip on social media showed that people with clubs and rods storming a temple.
IG Punjab Inam Ghani stated that the assistant commissioner and an assistant superintendent police were present on the spot.
However, their focus of attention was the “protection of at least 70 residences of Hindu community located around the temple.”
He further said that terrorism clauses have been added to the FIR against the culprits.
Upon that, Justice Amin questioned whether the police have arrested anyone.
The IG replied that no one has been arrested so far.
Justice Amin remarked that police have failed to perform its duty.
He said even if arrests were made, the police would later release the suspects on bail and try to make the parties reconcile.
Supreme Court censures Punjab Police over inaction after Hindu temple attack
Additional Attorney General Sohail Mahmood said that Prime Minister Imran Khan has also taken notice of the incident.
The chief justice said the premier should continue with his work but the court would look into the legal aspects of the case.
The chief justice said that the incident has earned bad name for the country, adding; “If the administration – commissioner, deputy commissioner, and the district police officer – could not perform their duties then they should be removed.”
He said the police did nothing when the mob attacked the temple.
The chief justice snubbed the IG, saying the police have not made any arrests despite the passage of three days.
He remarked; “[A] Hindu temple was demolished. Think [about] what they must have felt. Imagine what would have been the reaction of Muslims had a mosque been demolished.”
The court noted that the culprits at large could cause problems for the Hindu community as it sought assurances that such incidents do not occur again.
It expressed dissatisfaction over the Rahim Yar Khan commissioner’s performance and sought a progress report from the IGP and the chief secretary within a week.
The chief justice criticised the police for registering a case against an eight-year-old boy and arresting him for allegedly committing blasphemy.
The CJP asked: “Does an eight-year-old child know the difference between a Hindu and a Muslim?”
Ramesh Kumar told the court that Abdul Razzaq Soomro, who “incited” the mob, has not been arrested.
He said: “An eight-year-old boy urinated in his clothes after he was beaten up in the mosque,” adding that the details of the incident were distorted to foment hatred.
He directed the IGP to dismiss the SHO responsible for arresting the child.
The IGP said the SHO would be suspended and a departmental inquiry would be initiated against him.
The CJP responded: “the government officials enjoy suspension as they still get paid.”
Grilling the Punjab bureaucracy, the CJP said the bureaucracy “does not do any work as it is more concerned with enjoying the lifestyle”.
He inquired from the chief secretary Punjab how the provincial government evaluates the civil servants’ performance.
The secretary informed the court that the government was making every effort to create religious harmony.
He claimed that hatred is spread during Muharram and on other such occasions.
He also blamed social media for increase in hateful content.
The IG Punjab assured the court that all people will be brought to justice in the case.
He said there is a mosque, an imambargah and a temple in Bhong, adding that an Alaam (religious flag) at the Imambargah was also burnt for which an FIR was being registered.
Three cases have been registered for closure of a temple, an imambargah and a motorway, the IGP said, adding that all the accused would be arrested through video evidence.
The case was adjourned until Aug 13.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021
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