SC forms judicial commission to probe Lal Masjid operation
This picture, taken 28 March 2007, shows Pakistani cleric Abdul Aziz (C) surrounded by guards as he stands on the roof of the Lal Masjid or Red Mosque during in Islamabad —File Photo by AFP
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Supreme Court has constituted a judicial commission to probe the 2007 Lal Masjid operation – a government crackdown on a controversial pro-Taliban mosque in the capital which ended in a bloody eight-day siege killing at least 58 Pakistani troops and seminary students.
“Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry observed today that police have failed to satisfy the court and ordered a judicial commission to probe the matter,” said Tariq Asad, a lawyer involved in the case.
The pro-Taliban mosque, with the radical Maulana Abdul Aziz leading several armed seminary students, had announced the establishment of a parallel judicial system, vowing to enforce Islamic Shariah laws in the federal capital and threatening to unleash a wave of suicide bombers if the government took any action to counter it.
A military raid in July 2007 under then president Pervez Musharraf eventually overcame the armed militants.
However, several questions regarding the operation were left unanswered.
The Supreme Court took up the case the same year to demand answers to several questionable aspects of the siege, including the legality of the operation and the large number of civilian deaths in the raid.
A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, continued hearing the case here on Tuesday. During the proceedings, a report prepared by Assistant Inspector General (AIG) of Police Tahir Alam Khan was presented before the court.
After reviewing progress achieved so far in the investigation on the case, the bench appointed senior judge of the Federal Shariat Court, Shahzado Shaikh, to head the judicial commission.
Police has been ordered to hand over all documents relating to the case to the one-man commission, which will be tasked to answer these questions:
What were the reasons behind the Lal Masjid operation? How many civilians and security personnel were killed in the operation? Were all the dead identified and bodies handed over to their loved ones? Were the victims’ families paid the compensation promised by the government? Was any legal action initiated against those who carried out the operation? With the available evidence, is it possible to identify those responsible for the casualties during the siege and the raid on the mosque?
The commission has been directed to present its report in a period of 45 days.
Critics say the apex court’s move could fan further tensions between the judiciary and the army.
Political analyst Hasan Askari said it was unclear what the commission could achieve other than to provide militant groups with a forum and reprimand the then government, given that Musharraf is no longer in power or in Pakistan.
“It’s their desire to be populist, they know they’ll get support on this from the Islamists, the right wing and it also goes against the army,” Askari told AFP.
“The army is already unhappy with the judiciary so the judiciary is hitting in all directions and it is causing political uncertainty in an already uncertain and confused political system,” he added.
One more feather to the cap of the supreme court for a biased enquiry which is of no benefit to the people of Pakistan. Appointing a senior judge of the FEDERAL SHARIAT COURT to probe the wrongdoings of rabid mullahs and their cohorts who destroyed the peace of my beloved city has nothing to do with justice but to score points. Do we have any hope for the leaders and institutions of our country to pay attention to what is important to us EVER??!! Is this the the same chief justice for whom we spent our energies to put him back to the bench where he would protect our rights and SERVE US well or he is just like the others fightning the battle of HIS OWN ego.
Those whom gods wish to destroy………………makes them mad.
Justice shall be done no matter how painful and costly. Askari sahib, we are living in 21st century , please stop your cowardly apprehension regarding army fears. Justice and facts do not weaken any nation, rather it will give confidence and reason to believe in mighty truth.
Supreme court should not be made a state tool to protect or hide ruthlessness of any state organ. Llet the affected families of deceased in such incident may get justice and final words of truth from our state system.
Was there any legal action taken against those who defied law and imposed their own version of law?
The Supreme Court has lost another opportunity to be fair
This order of the court clearly shows vindictive attitude to Prevez mussraff. It appearsCJ is having some personal grudge against Mussaraff.
it seems that our judiciary is active and alive because it has found a good leader. All the tasks of parliament is doing our judiciary. If our parliamantarians are nt active and like dead then some other org. Or inst. Has to do this and i thnk ths wrk iz dn by our judiciary. All other three pillars of state should draw inspiration from judiciary leadr. I salute to ch. Iftikhar who seems to b serious, and concerned 4 pk affairs. Other 3 leaders, of army, of parliament, of management should work vigilantly for the betterment of our country. If sm wrong thng happens then it should be probed out and solve it. And remove its reasons y it has occured in the past and put barriers in its way. So that it cd nt happen in future.
The CJP would not have allowed the Lal Masjid operation if he was not under suspension when it took place.
This shows how Pakistan judiciary works and how people can justice with such judiciary.
Though I am Indian,I support the Pakistan Army in this war against terror.These Taliban are rowdy elements who make use the mask of Islam to terrorize innocent people of Pakistan. I think the Pakistan Army did the right thing to destroy the red mosque which was the base for these Talibanis.
Mr vijay u dnt know the fact about this LAL MASJID action….I am the witness of all this drama….so please dnt say that….and please there were no terrorists in mosque and u haven’t any right to say these things…this is our internal matter..
This is unfortunate. CJ is seems settling his personal scores at any cost. Well they were terrorists is beyond debate. God Bless
Interesting, why pakistan army unhappy, if they didn’t do any thing wrong, they shouldn’t be worried about it. And if they did, they should come under the same law. This era of Justice in pakistan can be an example for the coming rulers that no one above the law. Civillian pakistani respect pakistan army, but this doesn’t means that they are above the law and nobody can touch them. This attitute should change now
thanks
Mohammad
canada
The more the CJP speaks out, the more I realize that what Musharaf did to take him out of office was the right thing to do.