Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan Friday said Prime Minister Imran Khan has directed the Punjab government to file appeal against the verdict of the special court in the Sahiwal tragedy case.
In a tweet, she said the prime minster also ordered an inquiry into weaknesses of the prosecution and loopholes in investigation of the case. The whole nation has seen the video of shooting of the parents before their children, she said, adding the government is determined to ensuring justice for the innocent children. “If the family will not become the plaintiff, then state will be the plaintiff in this case,” she said, adding that a high-level committee will also be formed to highlight and investigate the weaknesses of the prosecution team in the case.
An anti-terrorism court in Lahore had on Thursday acquitted all the suspects involved in the Sahiwal encounter on the basis of the benefit of the doubt.
Punjab Law Minister Raja Basharat said that both the government and masses are not satisfied with the verdict of the Sahiwal massacre case.
Meanwhile, the Interior Ministry has issued written instructions to the authorities concerned to file an appeal challenging the acquittal of suspects in Sahiwal encounter case. Following the directives of Prime Minister Imran Khan, the interior ministry released written instructions in a letter sent to Punjab inspector general of police (IGP) and provincial chief secretary to file an appeal against the verdict.
The letter stated the prosecution failed to prove the involvement of suspects in the case as the witnesses did not record their statements about the occurrence of the incident. “This sets a deplorable and shocking precedent where state machinery is colluding to hinder the dispensation of justice to the victims,” it added.
The ministry ordered the relevant authorities to immediately follow the orders issued by the prime minister for filing an appeal to challenge the verdict and bring the culprits to justice through holding the prosecution department responsible of establishing their case by genuine witnesses.
It also directed to constitute a high-powered committee to probe and identify the flaws in the investigation and prosecution.
“The committee should also identify perpetrators of omissions and commissions within different organs of the state whose actions/inactions benefited the suspects. Specific recommendations should be submitted to rectify such flaws in the system and to dispense justice to the victims of the tragedy,” stated the letter.
The authorities concerned were also directed to submit a compliance report to the PM Office and Interior Ministry within three days.
