Woman's murder outside LHC: Four more suspects arrested

Dawn.com Published May 30, 2014

LAHORE: Police on Friday arrested four more suspects in the case related to the killing of Farzana Parveen outside Lahore High Court (LHC).

The arrested suspects included the deceased woman’s uncle, two cousins and a man named Nasir.

Parveen was attacked on Tuesday outside the LHC building in Lahore by more than two dozen brick-wielding attackers, including her brother and father, for marrying against the wishes of her family.

CM Punjab gives 24 hour deadline for arresting suspects

Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif gave a deadline of 24 hours to the Inspector General Punjab Police Khan Baig and directed him to arrest the suspects immediately.

The provincial chief minister chaired a meeting on the murder of Parveen, who was bludgeoned to death with bricks outside the LHC while police stood by.

The meeting was attended by IG Police Baig, the province's Home Secretary Azam Suleman, and Lahore Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Chaudhry Shafique Ahmad.

During the meeting, IG Punjab Baig presented an initial report on the incident.

Chief Minister Sharif while strongly condemning the brutal murder, said that the occurrence of such incidents despite the presence of police on the spot was a matter of great humiliation.

The chief minister has directed that the case should be tried in an anti-terrorism court.

He has also formed a high-level committee which is tasked with analysing the progress in the case on a daily basis and then reporting to him.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had directed the Punjab chief minister, who is also his brother, to act over the “brutal killing of the lady in the premises of the high court in the presence of police”.

The LHC had also taken notice of the incident and has summoned a report on the matter from the district and sessions judge.

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Jamal

May 30, 2014 12:28pm

First action should be taken against police... what were they doing when a woman was being killed by stoning.... seems like they sold themselves for the show...

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Sunil

May 30, 2014 12:40pm

Hope the suspects get the maximum punishment, and also there should be investigation of those police who witnessed the killing, but did not try to stop from the gruesome murder in broad day light.

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Akram

May 30, 2014 12:43pm

Why should the case be tried in anti-terrorism court?

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Mira

May 30, 2014 12:58pm

@Akram Even the police had witnessed this brutal murder. The whole family should be flogged and then hanged in public, and the policemen should be fired and charged with conspiracy to murder.

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masood

May 30, 2014 12:58pm

This is crime against humanity, and its nation, the guilt also equally lies within the security personal at the time of the crime. The world is watching Sharif brothers for the outcome of this disgraceful incident in front of Lahore High Court. Lets see swift Justice hopefully.

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Asif Naeem Bhatti

May 30, 2014 01:02pm

They should be hanged and hanged again !

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BULLS EYE

May 30, 2014 01:40pm

Although the brutal murder of this Woman is spine chilling it also stands equal to judicial killings of people in custody by the Punjab Police. Furthermore,why did the Police not arrest those Peti bund brothers who were standing by at the time this cruel event took place they can be identified easily from daily Rooster. At least I do not expect justice across the board. What happened to a recent case in which so-called Dacoits were killed by Lahore Police while in Custody in which one injured person was sent to Morgue,has the Investigation evaporated like all earlier ones?

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Haroon Rashid Khan

May 30, 2014 01:52pm

So if the family has killed her and then the family pardons the family under the blood money law, will they too be freed? Its brought such a shame to Pakistan internationally. Please set an example this time!

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Arshad

May 30, 2014 01:57pm

There is no surprise for me in this case lets see the facts, A women was stoned to death and no one especially Police did anything, I am sure if you have ever been to any court in Pakistan you know very well how busy they are. I am very sad when even public did not interfere, this shows how much we care for others if we are not involved personally. They police first response was that they were present at the scene and in this article CM said he was very crossed as it happened when the police was there. This shows our police is not only the most corrupt police, they are also a big liars. I am not very optimistic about this case as in a few weeks no one will remember what has happened to this poor women and who knows police will leave gray areas in the FIR or in other documents purposely and these gray areas will help the perpetrators. The sad part is why did not police have to wait until CM has to order for the arrest, why cannot they do their job properly and this could have been easily prevented if police do they job properly at the fist place therefore their names should be added in the FIR. A women is treated like a personal property or a commodity in Pakistan and until they will get the respect they deserve nothing will change.

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Khalid

May 30, 2014 02:04pm

Too little too late. The poor girl is dead. This incident has put Lahore on the map of the world as every single Western TV station is showing to the world what happens in Pakistan as a routine. People commit murder because they know they can be "pardoned". I can pretend to be as civilised as anyone in the civilised society but this is what I really am. I belong to a nation where an innocent girl is killed on the street and police stands by. Forgot about Islam, we don't even deserve to be called human beings.

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sohail

May 30, 2014 02:21pm

Who is giving order to take culprits to task, Prime Minister. To whom giving order, Chief Minister Punjab. Is any body left in Pakistan to trust these brothers. No!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

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farida

May 30, 2014 02:32pm

I do not think there is any light at the end of tunnel society develop nourishes when justice is dispensed but here court police and entire state machinery is witness to a crime but have to wait for PM to intervene so what would be happening behind closed doors the case that are never reported

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AJamal

May 30, 2014 02:52pm

This is typical action by our police. Relatives of the accused arrested to put pressure on them to surrender. This is not justice. In fact such actions compel people to take law into their own hands.

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AJamal

May 30, 2014 02:55pm

I can hear the soul of Gen Ziaul Haq laughing loudly at the whole nation.

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Khalid

May 30, 2014 03:04pm

It was the responsibility of the Police to stop the brutal act. They should be arrested. There is a little hope for justice. Why the convicted criminal are not hanged in Pakistan. Unless the law is not implemented justice can not be done.

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Husain Jan

May 30, 2014 03:32pm

@Jamal Yes...policemen should / must also be punished. But neither the PM nor CM has ordered any action against the policemen. Why ??

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Ijaz

May 30, 2014 03:40pm

@Haroon Rashid Khan I cannot see how under Islamic law this can happen. As the victim was legally married, any clemency for the killers would have to be granted by her next of kin which is her husband not father, mother or brother.

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Imtiaz Hydari

May 30, 2014 03:42pm

It goes without saying that the perpetrators of this heinous crime are apprehended immediately, tried and given the punishment they deserve. It is satisfying to note that the PM and the CM have not just condemned this barbaric act but acted swiftly in ordering the arrest and trial of these criminals. However, what is most disturbing is the performance of the Police. What will the PM and CM do to ensure that the quality and performance of our law enforcement authorities is of the highest standards. Why does the PM have to take notice while the IG Police waits to be summoned for a report? He should be ashamed of heading a force that watches like a show an innocent female being butchered publicly and does nothing to stop it. More importantly where are all the Ulemas who spring into action on small indiscretions but fail to condemn acts of violence against defenseless women in our society. This incident is a shameful stigma on the name of our country. The culture of settling scores justified or not, by force, is so endemic that it will tear apart our society if action is not taken urgently

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Asim

May 30, 2014 03:43pm

Make sure that they receive the same punishment by being stoned to death. Shame on the police!!

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M. Siddique

May 30, 2014 04:11pm

What was police doing during this brutal murder. Any police personnel present there and did not take any measures to stop the killing should be deciplined for not performing their job. Its time people take responsibility for their actions or non-action.

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Arshad

May 30, 2014 04:11pm

Is there any point in arresting them? After so much courts' time and resources are wasted on their conviction, they will just pardon each other under the medieval law of qasas. Shame on us!

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M. Siddique

May 30, 2014 04:17pm

@AJamal, Zia-ul-Haq was the biggest criminal this country has ever seen. He made mockery of the law. Today's lawlessness is his doing. He singlehandedly destroyed the peaceful fiber of this country.

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Imtaiz

May 30, 2014 04:18pm

@Arshad The police should be banned because they failed to protect the law for which they are there.

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babar javed

May 30, 2014 04:22pm

Police is the main culprit here who could not stop this act in broad day light.

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Dr.M.M.Khan

May 30, 2014 04:25pm

What a horrible society we live in! What honour is there in honour killing?. As usual everybody first kept quite ! Now there will be commitees appointed and time limit sett. Nothing will come out of these. The world will move on waiting for whom the bell is going to ring next. It is noteworthy to compare how many comments are published in this newspaper compared to others. Is it the silence of LAMBS in other pakistani newspapers or plain apathy?.

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Salim A

May 30, 2014 04:47pm

This news is all over the world television including Brazil. This gives Pakistan another black eye, if this country has eyes left to see with.

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Abdul Malik

May 30, 2014 05:45pm

Does the CM has the manly guts to resign? The very first action should be to remove the IG and CCPO. This is the same IG under whose tenure an innocent and victimized girl had to self immolate herself and scores of other similar incidents.

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xulfjan

May 30, 2014 06:17pm

Congratulations our judiciary has woken up after 5 days of the heinous crime at its door steps in broad day light!! Like the man whom this unfortunate woman married, who had murdered his wife 6 years ago and got free because his son forgave him, this bunch of animals will also be let loose as they will be forgiven by one another...

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Anwar Hasnat

May 30, 2014 07:07pm

Government is so slow to wake up to the tragedy, and only when the whole world has harshly criticized the murder. It is very embarrassing for Pakistanis across the world. Police officials present at the site be suspended and the culprits be brought to justice.

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Mohammed A. Sukhera

May 30, 2014 07:53pm

This is outrageous and disgracefully shocking that a young woman was murdered in the Lahore High Court premises in the presence of police..Now IG of police and police officers are looking for the perpetrators of the crime and some of them will never be found. Instead of watching the crime being committed, they should have arrested the criminals at that time and a young woman's life could have been saved. I urge the chief minister to sack the IG of Police Mr Baig and also arrest the police officer in charge of Police contingent at LHC for negligence and derelict of his duty..We the people of Pakistan want action and not the useless statements by government officials. A similar case happened in Punjab few years ago where two innocent teenagers were hacked to death in the presence of police by a mob who mistook them for thieves. Do the government officials think they can get away by paying lip service because the victim is not one of their own relative? Please wake up and do something.

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Bea

May 30, 2014 08:59pm

Those who committed this crime are the main culprits the spineless police just stood back and watched. hang them all that should teach anyone else who thinks they can commit a crime like this and get away scott free.

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Mahesh

May 30, 2014 09:18pm

@Khalid I fully agree with your feelings. I hope more people in Pakistani society share your feelings. This incident has nothing to do with country or religion. How can we become so inhuman? We must feel ashamed of ourselves. We are having equally inhuman incident of raping and hanging on the tree of 2 minor girls in our state of U.P.

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qaiser

May 30, 2014 09:20pm

What about arresting the police on duty.

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Irshad Khan

May 30, 2014 09:59pm

As usual there will be no action in the case of a women killed in Lahore Court in the presence of Police. Under the U.S pressure Nawaz Sharif and Chief Justice have ordered an inquiry, were they sleeping before.

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Ali

May 30, 2014 11:03pm

Why judges of that court are not arrested? They are supposed to be custodian of justice? Otherwise, please change their oath, which should now read that they will only provide justice to Arsalan Iftikhar and other super rich people of this country

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Siraj Khakwani

May 31, 2014 12:05am

It is part of our culture Sir! Bystanders cannot intervene when an honourable family matter is being dealt so honourably to restore honour. People understand the psyche of our people; they have a mindset guided by patriarchalism!

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IBN E ASHFAQUE

May 31, 2014 12:46am

@Abdul Malik i agree with u

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Isadora

May 31, 2014 01:13am

@Khalid Recently we had a case in the U.S. where a man of 75 yrs. apparently beat his wife to death because she would not make a goat meal for his lunch. The article stated she made linguine instead and wouldn't obey about the goat meal. This man has lived in the U.S. for 30 years according to the story. He is said to be very surprised to be held in prison for his actions. After all, says he, as a child he was taught that he had a right to 'discipline' his wife. In the U.S. we have domestic violence here too, but our justice is nothing like Pakistan's 'justice.' The guilty wife beater knows it's a crime and, if he can't escape from the police, he will go to prison. Also a man who beats his wife or women in genera,l is regarded as a coward. Mothers, hopefully many of them, teach their young male children that it is cowardly to hit girls ant that hitting anyone male or female is not acceptable. There is still violence here, but mostly, we do try to get this message across to our children. Sad story, if all is true.

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Fazal

May 31, 2014 01:41am

It is good that CJ has taken notice of brutal killing of woman. He should also open his eyes for hunger strike of Latif Johar and brutal killing of Balochi's by Pakistani security agencies.

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sohi

May 31, 2014 03:56am

@Jamal why? Even the police knew it was honour killing why didn't they stop them

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Syed (Australia)

May 31, 2014 04:32am

I bet not only police on duty was amongst the spectators of the poor girl killing but our lawyers are too. So action should be taken against both the lawyers and police. What a shame CM Shahbaz Shareef and law minister Rana Sana Ullah is still in power they should have resigned from their post.

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Naveed Lotia

May 31, 2014 06:34am

In addition to the murderers, the people who need to be punished include the police officers who stood by and did nothing as well as their superiors. This is not only a crime committed by criminals but also abject failure of the policing system. This is not a failure of society but also of the state and happens quite often, pointing out glaring omissions of appropriate training and accountability f the police. For this, senior level heads should roll, else this will continue

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Husain Jan

May 31, 2014 08:33am

@Jamal But why the arrest of policemen is not being ordered by any one ??

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Husain Jan

May 31, 2014 08:34am

@Sunil Investigations usually bear no result. The policemen need to be arrested and punished too.

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Husain Jan

May 31, 2014 08:40am

@Khalid In cases where / whenever any thief or robber is held and beaten up by masses the police is always found to be very quick in intervening and saving the criminal from the clutches of masses. That the policemen did not intervene when the poor lady was being beaten to death shows the general tendency of our police force.

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