JHANG: Additional District and Sessions Judge Asmatullah Niazi has ruled that placing secret entrances in a shrine or imambargh is a crime.

The judge ruled this in a case on October 10 and ordered the Kotwali station house officer (SHO) to take action against a man who had set up such an entrance from house into the shrine and imambargah of Hazrat Gohr Shah.

Petitioner Syed Faisal Shah, also the caretaker of the shrine, stated he had filed an application with the Kotwali police for the registration of a first information report (FIR) but to no avail. He added the main procession of Ashura would be brought out from the Gohr Shah imambargh which had been declared sensitive for security reasons.

The judge wrote in the verdict “it is height of absurdity that KotwaIi police station SHO in his report has verified the version of the petitioner but is reluctant to proceed against the accused”.

The judge directed the SHO to proceed on the application of Mr Shah in accordance with the law.

Despite after the lapse of 14 days, neither FIR was lodged nether the secret door was shut.

Kotwali SHO Ahmad Sajjad Cheema said he took over the charge this week and would look into the matter.

Published in Dawn, October 25th, 2014