ISLAMABAD, Jan 12: As the assassination of Punjab Governor Salman Taseer has divided people across the country, a similar situation developed in the capital police and the administration during interrogation and production of the assassin in the trial court, Dawn has learnt from reliable sources in the police and the local administration.

A visible division among officials of the two departments over the killing of the governor led to the emergence of three groups. One of the groups justified the assassin's act and openly supported him. For this group, the self-professed assassin, Malik Mohammad Mumtaz Qadri, is a hero. They argued that “Do not call Qadri a killer or accused of the governor's murder.” A large number of lawyers have the same view.

Another group considered the act of the assassin a crime but remained tight-lipped for fear of their lives. Some of them, however, privately said: “We do not want to be the next target of extremist elements.”

Some officials in the capital administration seemed neutral. They said: “Let the court decide the matter if the killing of the governor was justified or a crime.”

The officials attached with the interrogation and investigation wings are receiving life threats directly and indirectly. The friction and fear among the officials were first witnessed when the assassin was being taken to the court for obtaining his physical remand.

A deputy superintendent of police and an inspector, who were included in the escort of the assassin, refused to be part of the police team, a police officer said, adding it was yet to be ascertained whether they had backed out in fear or in support of the assassin.

Area police supervisory officers also faced resistance from their subordinates at the district and sessions court on January 5 and Iqbal Hall on January 6 when Qadri was brought there to seek his physical remand.

An official of the anti-terrorism squad (ATS) angrily addressed his supervisory officer at Iqbal Hall when the police brought Qadri there and were waiting for the anti-terrorism court judge. A heavy contingent of police was deployed there which cordoned off the hall and the road to check unauthorised people, including the media, from reaching there. The well-equipped ATS official told his supervisory officer: “You people (police) are treating Qadri as a criminal which he is not,” a police official quoted him as saying, adding the supervisory officer requested him to calm down.

Later, the supervisory officer begged him “not to react with your weapon,” when the ATS man did not budge.

The same day, the ATC Rawalpindi Judge Malik Akram Awan also refused to come to Iqbal Hall in Islamabad which was declared as the anti-terrorism court for the trial of the governor's assassin.

The notification in this regard was issued by the chief commissioner Islamabad. Senior officials of the administration and lawyers were of the view that under the law the judge should have followed the orders.

Apparently, the judge refused to follow the notification after hundreds of lawyers and activities of a religious group assembled on the court premises in Rawalpindi and cordoned it off, making it impossible for the judge to leave for Islamabad.

The same situation erupted when the statement of the assassin was being recorded. An official of the city administration went on leave when he was asked to record the statement, an official of the city administration said. Later, another official who was assigned the duty due to unavailability of the official concerned also went on leave.

On the other hand, law enforcement agencies and other authorities rebuked the capital police for their failure to check the assassin's appearance in the media.

At one stage, the authorities concerned warned the police with dire consequences. In response to the warning, the last three movements of the assassin - to Pims and DHQ for medical examination and the ATC - were kept in secret.

The interior minister also ordered an inquiry regarding the video clips of Qadri during police custody. The video clips showing the assassin reciting Na'at were posted on the internet.