LAHORE: The Fact Finding Committee’s (FFC) report on sectarian clashes in Rawalpindi has been presented to Chief Minister Punjab Mian Shahbaz Sharif on Monday.
The report revealed that there was a lack of coordination between police and Rangers.
After investigating the crime scene and recording statements of around 150 people, the committee has finalised its report. The team also used footage from security cameras to aid their investigation.
The FFC was led by the Chief Ministers’ Inspection Team head Najam Saeed and includes Secretary Prosecution Nadeem Irshad Kiyani and Additional Inspector General (investigation) Muhammad Amlesh.
The report also stated that the Muharram procession reached the location of the clashes earlier than it was scheduled to.
According to sources, the report said the police had failed to take necessary and timely action which could have prevented the tragedy from occurring and that coordination among institutions was almost non-existent.
Police did not demonstrate any sense of responsibility as even the city’s police chief was not present on the spot as the situation went out of hand, the report added.
On November 15, sectarian clashes had erupted at a procession near Fawara Chowk, marring an otherwise peaceful Ashura. The clashes left at least 11 people dead and over 78 injured.
The government had also imposed a weekend long curfew in the city following the clash in which unidentified people had taken guns from security officials, positioned for the security of mourners, and opened fire.
Unidentified people had also set a portion of the cloth market in Raja Bazaar on fire.
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