Punjab Inspector General of Police Dr Usman Anwar on Saturday suspended two senior cops for failing to prevent the mob lynching of a man over blasphemy allegations in Nankana Sahib, a Punjab Police statement said.
The IG took notice of the incident as videos circulating on social media purportedly showed a violent mob outside a police station in Nankana Sahib. In one video, a violent mob can be seen scaling the large gates of what appeared to be a police station, and opening it, after which a large crowd outside storms the station.
A second video showed young children — purportedly part of the mob — smiling inside the police station, as broken glass and overturned furniture could be seen strewn about.
The police statement said the IG, Anwar, has suspended Nankana Sahib Circle Deputy Superintendent of Police Nawaz Waraq and Warburton Station House Officer Feroz Bhatti.
The IG further directed the Internal Accountability Branch Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Syed Muhammad Amin Bukhari and Special Branch DIG Raja Faisal to reach the incident location and submit an inquiry report.
“No one is allowed to take the law into their hands no matter how influential they are,” the Punjab IG was quoted as saying.
“Strict departmental and legal action will be taken against those responsible for the incident, as well as the perpetrators of negligence and incompetence,” the IG asserted.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC) Chairman Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi condemned the incident, saying it was regrettable the way the charged mob attacked the blasphemy accused.
“Inhuman torture and killing the person, accused of blaspheming the Holy Quran in Nankana Sahib and attacking at the police station is regrettable and condemnable. — Pakistan Ulema Council,” Ashrafi said in a tweet.__Dawn.com
