ISLAMABAD, April 1: The Supreme Court on Thursday held that police had facilitated the murder of a couple who, after marrying of their free will, had approached them for protection , but they instead handed the couple over to relatives of the girl who murdered both of them.

The Supreme Court in its judgement in a suo motu case regarding the murder of the couple in Sanghar district, directed the Inspector-General of Police, Sindh, to personally look into the matter and submit a report within one month.

The apex court had taken notice of the matter in October 2003 after a report in Dawn said that Shazia Khaskheli and Mohammad Hasan Solangi, who had married of their free will, were shot by a firing squad in pursuance of a Jirga decision.

The SC bench comprising Justice Nazim Hussain Siddiqui, Justice Javed Iqbal and Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar conducted several hearings of the case and also summoned Sindh Police officials, including the DIG Hyderabad.

Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar, who authored the judgment, held that from the report of district judge Sanghar it had transpired that the couple had contacted police to seek protection, but on the contrary they were handed over to relatives of the girl who murdered them.

"The police reports on the subject are contrary to the report of learned sessions judge Sanghar, we feel it appropriate to refer the matter to the IGP Sindh, who shall look into the matter personally in order to ascertain the individual liability of the concerned police officers about their involvement in any manner, for not conducting the investigation impartially."

The court order stated that the police officials who had appeared before the court had frankly conceded that there were "serious lapses in the investigation on their part".

The police officials, the court said, had also conceded that no action had been taken against any police official for not conducting investigation into the matter properly.

"Moreover, the manner in which this case has been handled from the very beginning casts serious doubts in our mind which is to be dealt with seriously within one month," the court held.