SC resumes Joseph Colony suo moto hearing

ISLAMABAD: Supreme Court of Pakistan resumed hearing the Joseph Colony, Badami Bagh suo moto case here on Wednesday, Geo News reported.

A three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry was hearing the suo moto notice of the incident, in which over 100 homes in the Christian neighbourhood were ransacked and set ablaze by an angry mob on March 9 after an individual from the area was accused of blasphemy.

During proceedings, advocate general Punjab, Ashtra Ausauf presented the report on Gojra incident and said the investigation was conducted behind closed-doors, however, the report was present on the website.

On this, the chief justice remarked that although the proceedings of judicial commission are carried out in close-door meetings, but its recommendations are for the masses.

He said the common man should know the reasons behind the incident, adding the purpose of the judicial commission would not be complete if people did not know its findings.

On Monday, the Supreme Court rejected the Punjab government’s report on Joseph Colony incident.

The initial report of the incident was presented by the advocate general, according to which compensation had been paid to the victims of Joseph Colony.

The Chief Justice remarked that providing compensation was the government's responsibility and asked why precautionary measures were not taken if there was information pertaining to the attack.