| What Punjab Police were doing when mob attacked temple, 
asks CJP | Police were focusing on security of 70 residences of Hindu community, IGP tells top court | Says no arrest made so far, culprits to be brought to justice | Court directs IGP to dismiss 
SHO who arrested a child in alleged blasphemy case

PM should continue with his work. Court will look into legal aspects of temple desecration: CJP

ISLAMABAD   -  The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Friday expressed displeasure over the failure of Punjab Police to safeguard a Hindu temple following the mob attack in Rahim Yar Khan. The top court also directed the police to immediately arrest the culprits involved in the attack. 

A two-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Gulzar Ahmed and comprising Justice Qazi Muhammad Amin conducted hearing of a suo moto notice taken on the application of Dr Ramesh Kumar, Chairperson Pakistan Hindu Council.

Expressing his annoyance, the Chief Justice said that what the Punjab police and the district administration were doing when the mob attacked the temple. He ordered the Punjab Police Inspector General and the Chief Secretary to arrest the culprits and submit the report.

A charged mob in Bhong village of Punjab’s Rahim Yar Khan district on August 4 vandalized the Hindu temple. A video clip on social media showed that people with clubs and rods stormed into the temple and smashed the idols.

Punjab IGP Inam Ghani informed the bench that the Assistant Commissioner (AC) and Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) were present on the spot. However, they focused on the “protection of at least 70 residences of Hindu community” located around the temple.

He further told that terrorism clauses were added to the FIR. At that point Justice Amin questioned that whether the police had arrested anyone. The IG replied that no one has been arrested so far but said the culprits would be arrested soon.

Justice Amin remarked that the police have failed to perform its duty. He said that even if arrests were made, the police would release the suspects on bail and try to make the parties reconcile.

Additional Attorney General Sohail Mahmood informed that Prime Minister Imran Khan had also taken notice of the incident. Justice Gulzar said that 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 earned bad name for the country. He added, “If the administration – commissioner, deputy commissioner, and the district police officer – could not perform their duties then they should be removed.” He said that the police did nothing when the mob attacked the temple.

Justice Gulzar snubbed the IGP saying that the police had not made any arrest 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 would not happen again. It expressed dissatisfaction at the Rahim Yar Khan Commissioner’s performance and sought a progress report from the IGP and the Chief Secretary within a week.

Also, the Chief Justice criticised the police for registering a case against an eight-year-old boy and arresting him for alleged blasphemy. “Does an eight-year-old child know the difference between a Hindu and a Muslim,” the CJP asked.

Ramesh Kumar told 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,” and the details of the incident were distorted to incite hatred

The court directed the IGP to dismiss the SHO responsible for arresting the child over alleged blasphemy. The IGP said the SHO would be suspended and a departmental inquiry would be initiated against him. The CJP responded that the government officials enjoy suspension as they still get paid.

Grilling the Punjab bureaucracy, the CJP said that the bureaucracy “does not do any work as it is more concerned with enjoying the lifestyle”. He inquired from the Punjab Chief Secretary that how the provincial government evaluates the civil servants’ performance.

The Chief Secretary informed that the government was making every effort to create religious harmony. He claimed that hatred is spread during Muharram and other such religious festivals. He also blamed social media for an increase in hateful content.

The IGP assured the court that all people would be brought to justice in the case. He said that there was a mosque, Imambargah and temple in Bhong and Alam (religious flag) at the Imambargah was also burnt for which an FIR was being registered.

Three cases have been registered for closure of temple, Imambargah and motorway, the IGP said. He added that all the accused would be arrested with the help video footage of the incident.