JHELUM: Punjab Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Rana Sanaullah on Sunday said that all angles regarding the incidents of arson of a factory and an Ahmadi place of worship in Jhelum will be investigated.
Sanaullah said that no one will be allowed to take the law into their hands and punishments will be decided by the courts.
The law minister added that all possible measures to keep the law and order situation under control were taken in a timely manner.
The minister's statements come a day after an enraged mob set an Ahmadi place of worship on fire in Punjab's Jhelum district and two days after a factory was set on fire in the district late on Friday.
The attacks occurred following allegations of blasphemy levelled against the factory owner and workers through mosque loudspeakers and rumours. No casualties were reported in the arson attacks.
The place of worship was located in Jhelum's Kala Gujran area which was under guard of local police forces.
A mob on Saturday managed to break through a police cordon established at the site of the attack to safeguard Ahmadi places of worship, following Friday night's unrest.
As tensions rose, a contingent of the Pakistan Army was called in to assist the local police forces.
The situation was brought under control after the arrival of the army contingent, with the mob chanting slogans in favour of the army.
Section 144 imposed in Jhelum district for two days
District Coordination Officer (DCO) Jehlum DCO Zulfiqar Ahmed Ghumman imposed Section 144 of the criminal procedure code (CrPC) for two days to maintain the law and order situation in the district following the arson attacks.
A notification issued from the office of DCO Jehlum said that assembly of five or more people at public places, delivery of inflammatory speeches and chanting of provocative slogans, use of loudspeakers for purposes other than Azaan will be banned in the district for two days . The administration has also prohibited wall-chalking, display of weapons, carrying of sticks, stones, knives or any other maerial which can be used as a weapon under the law.
The DCO warned that strict action would be taken against violators under the relevant laws.
Section 144 of the CrPC relates to "Power to issue order absolute at once in urgent cases of nuisance or apprehended danger" and empowers the district administration to issue orders in the public interest that may place a ban on an activity for a specific period of time. Such a ban is enforced by the police, who register cases under section 188 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) for violations of the ban. Section 188 carries a maximum penalty of six months in prison or fines or both.
