LHC chief justice orders judicial inquiry into Sahiwal killings

Ordering a judicial inquiry into the Sahiwal killings, Lahore High Court (LHC) directed a session’s judge on Thursday to appoint a magistrate to carry out the task.

The bench, headed by the high court Chief Justice Sardar Mohammad Shamim Ahmed, resumed the hearing of a petition seeking the formation of a judicial to probe into the Sahiwal incident. During the hearing today, the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) told the bench that it had recorded the statements of of the witnesses.

When the CJ asked whether the JIT had recorded the statements of the people named on the list given by the high court, there was not a satisfactory response, local media reported.

The court also showed its displeasure that the JIT had not recorded the witnesses' statements under Section 161 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. The court remarked that it should serve a notice to them for not complying with the court's orders.

The court then ordered a judicial inquiry into the Sahiwal case and directed the the sessions judge to appoint a magistrate for it and sought a report. The LHC has adjourned the hearing for two weeks.