LAHORE: Punjab Assembly opposition leader Mahmoodur Rashid has justified Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chairman Imran Khan’s refusal to accept Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s offer for a Supreme Court commission to probe election riggings, saying the PML-N’s track record regarding fact-finding panels is not commendable.
Talking to newsmen here on Wednesday, he said at least three reports of judicial commissions had been thrown into bin by Punjab chief minister during the last six years, while the fourth body was never allowed to meet.
He said the commission headed by Justice Shabbir Raza Rizvi set up to probe the attack on Sri Lankan cricket team presented its report to Shahbaz Sharif in 2009 but it was neither made public to date nor any action taken on its recommendations.
The report had suggested termination of services of a police officer who was now a district police chief, he added.
Mr Mahmood also recalled that Justice Mansoor Ali Shah had held responsible then irrigation secretary for Rs200 billion losses the poor growers of Dera Ghazi Khan suffered due to the breach of a protective dyke on Indus river during 2010 floods but the officer was rewarded and posted Punjab Energy Board chairman.
Likewise, the opposition leader said, a joint inquiry committee had been formed by the chief minister on the floor of the provincial assembly in 2012 in response to civil society’s reaction to sparing then law minister Rana Sanaullah’s plaza on Fane Road during a campaign against illegally built high-rises.
But, Mr Rashid regretted, the committee was never allowed to meet since then what to talk of its report.
He said for the Model Town incident in which 14 innocent people lost their lives, a one-man commission headed by Justice Baqar Najafi was formed. The commission submitted its findings to the home secretary on August 9 but the report was not being made public despite repeated promises in this regard.
Concluding, the opposition leader said in the country’s history no report of any commission had ever been made public be it the Hamoodur Rehaman Commission’s or any other.
Published in Dawn, August 14th, 2014
