RAWALPINDI, Nov 24: The three-member fact-finding committee on Sunday completed its investigation into the Ashura violence and recommended action against the police officers for their negligence and cowardice, it has been learnt.

The investigation report will be submitted to Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Monday, a source close to the investigation told Dawn.

The report contained evidence collected from the video footages of the special branch, photographs and the statements of the former regional police officer and the city police officer who were directly responsible for maintaining peace in the city on Ashura.

As many as 11 people died in the sectarian clash.

The committee headed by Najam Saeed, former chairman of the chief minister’s inspection team, was assisted by prosecution secretary Nadeem Irshad Hiyani and additional police inspector general (investigation) Mohammad Amlish.

The committee formed by the chief minister had started its investigation on November 18 and was asked to complete the probe within seven days.

The source said the committee had suggested the registration of a case against the police officers under the Police Order 2002 on the charges of negligence and cowardice.

And the same charges are likely to be levelled against the district coordination officer (DCO) Rawalpindi, the source said.

The committee members on Saturday visited the five imambargahs which were attacked during the violent protest in different parts of the city and interviewed their administrators.

The committee also recorded the statements of three of the elite force officials who had been called to assist the police during the violence.

The Punjab government has already removed six senior police officers from their posts for negligence.

They were Regional Police Officer Zaheem Iqbal Sheikh, City Police Officer Bilal Saddique Kamyana, Senior Superintendent of Police VVIP Security Dar Ali Khattak, SSP Counterterrorism Department Dr Mohammad Azam, SSP (operation) Sikandar Hayat and SP Rawal Division Jamaat Ali Bukhari.

These police officers tried to justify their positions before the fact-finding committee but it appeared that legal action would be initiated against them for negligence and cowardice which resulted in the sectarian violence.

Meanwhile, the police have not arrested any of the individuals nominated in the FIR of the violence registered with the Gunjmandi police and later sealed.

Traders allowed to collect valuables

The District Coordination Officer (DCO) Sajid Zafar Dall on Sunday allowed the 136 shopkeepers of Madina Market Raja Bazaar to collect their valuables from the building which had been burnt during the Pindi violence.

After getting a clearance certificate from Rescue 1122, the DCO gave the traders two days (till Monday) to collect their valuables from the burnt market. However, he said they (traders) should adopt safety measures which had been recommended by Rescue 1122.

After obtaining permission, more than 60 traders entered the building and collected the gold, revenue records and wallets which had been spared by the fire as these were mostly kept in the basements.

However, Sharjeel Mir, the representative of traders’ association from Madina Market, claimed that all belongings of shopkeepers had been burnt in the fire. While talking to Dawn, he said each trader had suffered a loss of approximately Rs80 million.

When asked about the recovery of gold items and wallets from the charred shops, he said the gold had melted in the fire and could be recovered. However, other valuables such as the record of purchase and sale had been completely destroyed.

On the other hand, District Officer Emergency Abdur Rehman told Dawn that more than 40 traders had recovered their goods and valuables on Sunday.

“Most of them were just happy to see that some of their belongings were safe,” he said.

“Some cloth shops were not harmed at all by the fire,” he claimed, adding that 60 traders had arrived to collect their valuables and the remaining could collect these on Monday.

Mr Abdur Rehman said traders were asked to adopt safety measures and avoid using hammers or any other such material. He maintained that following the fire, the building’s structure had weakened and any vibrations could be dangerous and result in its collapse.

“After Monday, the building will be handed over to the City District Government Rawalpindi (CDGR) for reconstruction. More than half of the building has already caved in and the remaining will be razed on Tuesday,” he said.