Poor security led to murder of Emanuels'

Source: Dawn

Date: Aug 3, 2010

FAISALABAD, Aug 3: Police’s failure to make a security plan for blasphemy suspects Sajid Emanuel and Rashid Emanuel led to their killing in a broad daylight in district courts, documents made available to Dawn read.

Documents reveal that police officials, including Regional Police Officer (RPO) Aftab Ahmed Cheema and investigation officer Muhammad Husain, knew that both suspects, also brothers, could be targeted by extremists because of the sensitivity of the issue. All secrete agencies had also asked the police to make foolproof security arrangements for them, but to no avail.

The police had arrested Sajid and Rashid for distributing handwritten ‘blasphemous” material early in July. In spite of strict warnings from agencies, the police failed to protect them and they were gunned down by unidentified people on July 19 on the district courts premises in the presence of armed policemen.

he documents say on July 12, a meeting of the district intelligence committee also took place at the commissioner office to discuss the two brothers’ security issue.

Subsequently, the RPO convened a meeting of his subordinates on July 13 to discuss the law and order situation in the wake of the blasphemy issue to avoid widespread violence.

For details: http://epaper.dawn.com/ArticleText.aspx?article=04_08_2010_009_001