SIALKOT, July 26: Jail officials have been blamed for the deaths of three judges and five prisoners in Sialkot jail during a police commando action, according to a First Information Report lodged by a senior civil judge with the police on Saturday.

Civil Lines Police registered a case under sections 302, 324, 353, 342, 190, 148 and 149 on the complaint of Senior Civil Judge Muhammad Yousaf Ojla.

“The Sialkot jail tragedy is the result of jail officials’ negligence as no one can take ammunition to the jail without the malpractice and conspiracy of jail officials,” the FIR, whose photostat copies were distributed among newsmen, said.

The lawyers community throughout Punjab condemned the killing of the three judges and five prisoners and accused the police of mishandling the situation.

Demanding a fully-fledged investigation into the incident, the lawyers announced a half-day strike on Monday throughout Punjab to protest against the incident.

The Sialkot District Bar Association announced a three-day mourning over the tragedy. It held police responsible for the killings of the civil judges and demanded registration of a murder case against the Gujranwala Range DIG, Sialkot DPO, Superintendent of Sialkot jail and other officials concerned of the Sialkot district government.

Speaking at a press conference on Saturday at the Bar Hall, Sialkot District Bar Association President Munawar Hussain Warraich said this tragedy occurred because of the hasty decision of of the police officials to launch a commando action.

“It could have been averted by continuing negotiations with the prisoners-cum-captors,” Mr Warraich said.

He further asserted that the prisoners-cum-captors had offered their surrender if the district and sessions judges gave them (the prisoners) a written assurance that the prisoners would not be killed by police inany fake encounters. But, Mr Warraich said, unfortunately, the police let the chance of saving the lives of the judges lost by hastily launching the commando action.

Mr Warraich claimed that he was present inside the jail when the captors had made that offer.

He said if the murder case was not registered against the police officials in three days, the lawyers would be forced to come on streets.

Meanwhile, on the order of the Punjab Chief Minister, Punjab Law Minister Raja Muhammad Basharat, Home Secretary Brig (retd) Ejaz Ahmad Shah, IGP Syed Masood Shah and acting IG Prisons Sarfraz Mufti visited the Sialkot District Jail on Saturday and inquired about Friday’s tragedy.

According to a press release, they also visited the Allama Iqbal Memorial Hospital and inquired after the health of the injured civil judges.

Meanwhile, the bodies of the three judges were driven to their hometown for burial.