ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the trial court to complete the proceedings in the high-profile Jaranwala church attack case within six months and emphasized the immediate arrest of all absconding suspects.
A bench comprising two judges, led by Chief Justice Yahya Afridi, heard petitions filed by the Punjab government seeking to revoke bail granted to the accused.
During the session, Additional Prosecutor General Punjab Ahmad Gilani emphasized the importance of a swift trial. The Punjab government’s legal team urged the court to establish a definitive timeline, citing delays in ongoing proceedings.
Responding to these concerns, the court ordered the trial to be finalized within half a year and instructed the Inspector General (IG) of Punjab to promptly arrest any proclaimed offenders linked to the case.Chief Justice Yahya Afridi stressed that suspects who are on the run must be taken into custody without delay to uphold justice.The Jaranwala attack, which garnered widespread attention across the nation, remains a delicate case, with authorities under pressure to ensure accountability through prompt legal action.
At the beginning of the hearing, the Additional Advocate General Punjab presented a report stating that 304 suspects had been detained, and 18 challans related to 22 FIRs had been submitted in court following the incident.
However, Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa rejected the report, questioning the pace of case proceedings and the progress of challans. He also criticized the local police, noting that despite the violence, Gujranwala police appeared passive during the riots.
“We often raise concerns about Islamophobia, but what are we actually doing?” he remarked.
The police in Jaranwala registered terror cases against more than 600 individuals. According to the FIR, a mob of 500-600 people, led by certain individuals, attacked the Christian community, ransacked homes, and set fire to both residences and the church building.
