A view of damage in district court in Islamabad after a gun-and-suicide attack on March 3, 2014. PHOTO: INP
Armed men had assaulted the court compound in a gun-and-suicide attack killing at least 11 people, including a judge, and leaving over two-dozen injured.
The Supreme Court took a suo motu of the incident and is still hearing the case and lawyers are unhappy with the proceedings as they claim the investigation has not yielded any results.
‘Nothing has changed’
“District courts are as vulnerable as they were a year ago,” said former president of the Islamabad District Bar Association, Naseer Ahmed Kiyani. “Neither the courts have been shifted to Sector G-10 as recommended by the judicial commission nor could the police find the facilitators of the attack.”
The courts continue to function in the middle of a market at F-8 Markaz with seven entry gates and walls that can easily be scaled, said Kiyani. “Courts are functioning in shops. It doesn’t look like a court complex,” he said, adding anyone can come from any side as primarily it’s a business place rather than courts.
Kiyani said the police have almost closed the case as they have remained determined that only two attackers came and blew themselves up. On the other hand, he said, lawyers have submitted a report before the Supreme Court stating that at least six to seven men had attacked the premises.
He further said the report was prepared with the help of statements of the injured — the biggest witnesses in the case — revealing details of the attackers.
“The JIT members did not even talk to the injured and lawyers and just seconded what the police had said earlier,” he shared.
Kiyani said 43 out of 65 policemen were present on duty on March 3 and little action was taken against them as the high-ups were transferred while only a few lower-rank officials were suspended.
The police had decided that the number of cameras will be increased from nine to 30 while the number of policemen will increase from 87 to 110 as a part of effective security measures in and around the courts.
A police spokesperson, requesting anonymity, however, revealed that around 80 officials were performing duties at the courts at the moment, four walk-through gates and 13 cameras have been installed since the attack. “The case is still under investigation,” the spokesperson said.
The police high-ups refrained from commenting on the issue further.
Moreover, it has also surfaced that the administration has not yet cleared dues of the contractor who installed cameras and walk-through gates.
Lawyers of the capital will take out a rally on Tuesday (today) in remembrance of those killed in the incident, while the legal community will observe a `mourning day’ in memory of those killed.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 3rd, 2015.
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