• LHC sought final reply on forming judicial commission.
• The court summoned the Chief Secretary Punjab on Sep 25.
• The Christian community sought the formation of a judicial commission.

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) has given the last chance to the Punjab government to decide on establishing a judicial commission on the Jaranwala tragedy.

Justice Asim Hafeez heard the request of Bishop Azad Marshall, head of the Church of Pakistan, seeking the establishment of a judicial commission to probe the tragic incident.

The court summoned the Chief Secretary of Punjab in his personal capacity for the failure to decide on forming the judicial commission. If the decision is not taken by 10 AM on September 25, then the Chief Secretary will appear in court in person, the court said.

Assistant Advocate General Sattar Sahil appeared in court and said the report of the inquiry committee regarding the tragedy has been prepared. He said the Chief Minister of Punjab is abroad and will review the inquiry committee’s report as soon as he returns.

The petitioner filed the plea stating that the fundamental constitutional rights of minorities were affected in the Jaranwala tragedy.

The petition said the procedure adopted for the investigation is slow and investigations are being conducted illegally and irresponsibly by the Punjab government.

The Christian community does not expect justice from the current system, the petitioner said, requesting the formation of a judicial commission for timely and immediate justice

During the previous, the Lahore High Court directed the Punjab chief secretary to take a decision in connection with a petition seeking formation of a judicial commission for an inquiry into the Jaranwala tragedy within 15 days.

Justice Sajid Mehmood Sethi issued the directions to provincial chief secretary after the public prosecutor responded in negative on being questioned if a judicial commission was formed to look into the incident.

The petitioner in the pleas has requested the LHC to issue orders for an inquiry into the Jaranwala tragedy by a judicial commission, contending that the fundamental rights of the minority community have been violated in the incident.

The petitioner has pleaded that the method being employed for investigation has met sluggishness and the Christian community doubts if this method will live up to their expectations for justice and fairness.

The court was informed that the Punjab government has constituted a committee to determine the need for a judicial commission to investigate the incident. The demand to set up a judicial commission was earlier made by a petitioner from the Christian community.

A report was submitted in the LHC on behalf of the Punjab chief secretary in response to a previous order of Justice Asim Hafeez, wherein the chief secretary’s input had been sought over whether or not the judicial commission should be constituted.

According to the report, a committee to ascertain the need for a judicial commission will be formed. It said the committee will look into this matter and its findings will be submitted before the court

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