LAHORE, Dec 8: The death of two-year old Tehreem from Shad Bagh, whose throat was slit by a razor-sharp string a few days ago, reverberated through the Supreme Court during its proceedings in the kite-flying case. Headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, the full bench of the apex court took a serious view of Tehreem’s death, and that of railway police constable Raashed Ali, observing the tragic deaths after it ordered a one-month ban spoke high of how inept the police were in implementing the ban.

The chief justice held the Punjab government responsible for the deaths and observed the attitude showed its agencies had hardly attached any importance to the apex court order.

The court also expressed dissatisfaction over a police report presented by Advocate-General Aftab Iqbal, observing it was in no way satisfied the court order and its spirit.

The Shadbagh police also cut a sorry figure when it could not submit detailed information about a compromise they said the parties had reached. The court was of the view that the compromise was the result of police pressure. The police also failed to produce the father of Tehreem although they were given ample time to do so. The case of Tehreem will figure again on Friday.

BAIL: The court set at liberty five persons produced by Rang Mahal and Mochi Gate police from the Camp Jail where the had been detained for about a month. The court released them on bail upon production of personal surety bonds of Rs200 each. The court did not agree with the police that they were arrested while violating the ban under the law. The court observed that the jailed persons were destitute and had no one to stand surety for them for bail.

The court observed the detention of such people was a disgrace, and the police had only shown its ‘performance’ by nabbing unconcerned people. The accused stated that they worked as loaders in Shah Alam, Akbari Mandi and Mochi Gate markets.

FAHEEM: The Supreme Court also ordered the Punjab government to get Mohammad Faheem Shehzad, a student of the Government College, treated at the public expense even if he was to be sent abroad. Faheem’s case surfaced on the last date of the proceedings.

On Thursday, advocate Mohammad Akram Sheikh stated the young man had severely damaged his sound box and vocal chord after his throat was slit by the string. The health department had taken least notice of the apex court order and were also not making available Faheem’s file which had been declared “Secret and Confidential”, Mr Sheikh submitted.