SC reprimands Balochistan IGP in Quetta hospital blast suo moto case
Over 70 lawyers were killed in cold blood as they mourned killing of bar association president
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Chief Justice of Pakistan, Anwar Zaheer Jamali along with his subordinate bench members have reprimanded Balochistan Inspector General of Police on Tuesday for ‘unsatisfactory’ answers during hearing of suo moto case of blast in Civil Hospital of Quetta that claimed lives of over 70 lawyers in August.
As the hearing progressed, the bench of the Supreme Court asked the Inspector General concerned to report the progress made so far by the Balochistan Police to which he replied that it was a terror attack.
Justice Azmat Saeed resented Balochistan Police chief’s ‘unsatisfactory’ answer and stated that the court should not be narrated folklore as no compromise would be made on probe.
Adding to that, the bench remarked that the court knew it was a terror attack and not alight firecrackers in a marriage ceremony. Justice Saeed further said that none should indulge himself in thought that the Supreme Court would not forget the case after today’s hearing.
The court ordered authorities to reestablish trauma centre of Civil Hospital which was decimated in the blast and provide foolproof security.
Balochistan Inspector General of Police and Chief Secretary were ordered to present reports and forward CCTV footage of the blast while Interior Ministry and Attorney General were issued notices.
Hamid Khan Advocate complained to the court that Chief Secretary and Inspector General were covering up the issue as lack of security led to the terror attack, he alleged.
The bench stated that it was the responsibility of the federal government as well to hold investigations of the terror attack.
Chief Justice of Pakistan had taken suo moto notice of the suicide blast that occurred on August 8. The notice was taken after a note compiled by the Registrar was forwarded to CJP’s desk that contained all the required details about the incident.
Know more: CJP takes suo moto notice of Quetta hospital blast
After going through the note, the Chief Justice of Pakistan had instructed the office to set up a hearing on September 20 and issued notices to Chief Secretary, Advocate General of Balochistan and Inspector General of Police of Balochistan.
On August 8, lawyers had gathered at Civil Hospital to collect body of Balochistan Bar Association President, Bilal Anwar Kasi after he was gunned down the same morning as he drove to work.
A huge number of the professionals belonging to judiciary were present in the hospital premises and around its boundary when a suicide bomber detonated his vest.
More than 70 lives were lost, all of them lawyers and a few others while dozens wounded who were shifted to different hospitals.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff, General Raheel Sharif visited the hospitalized persons one of whom, in a conversations with the premier, said that it was a planned act of terror against community of the lawyers in Quetta.
The injured lawyer had demanded off the Prime Minister as well the Chief of Army Staff to bring the perpetrators to justice and continue efforts to weed-out extremism in the country.
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