ISLAMBAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, while expressing grief and sorrow over the Lahore tragedy, assured that legal action would be taken in the light of the Lahore High Court’s tribunal findings against those responsible for this incident.
Also read: Youth, women among seven killed in PAT supporters' clash with police
"Tribunal under a high court judge has already been set up to determine those responsible for the incident," Sharif said in a statement issued from Dushanbe where he is on a two-day state visit.
However, the premier also warned that no one would be allowed to put the internal security and peace of the country at stake. He said those responsible for the loss of precious lives could not escape punishment and added that no one could disrupt the law and order situation of the country.
"Pakistan is, at present, fighting two wars. On one hand, our armed forces are fighting the menace of terrorism and on the other hand, we are putting the collapsed economy back on track," PM Sharif said.
Members of the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) were among the seven people killed during a clash between PAT protesters and policemen in Lahore on Tuesday.
HRW urges inquiry into Lahore incident
Pakistan should launch a judicial inquiry into police shootings of protesters in Lahore fully and impartially and investigate the possible unnecessary use of lethal force, Human Rights Watch said.
Brad Adam, Asia Director at Human Rights Watch, said that Pakistani authorities needed to explain why police officers found it necessary to fire live ammunition directly into a crowd of protesters throwing rocks. “There are a lot of dead and wounded people in Lahore today, and no clear reason why.”
“Pakistan’s security forces have a history of using excessive force against civilians with impunity,” Adams said. “A transparent and impartial investigation into the Lahore shootings is necessary to prevent even greater distrust of the security forces.”