Caretaker CM Punjab Najam Sethi calls on CJ LHC

Lahore: Caretaker Chief Minister Punjab Najam Sethi today called on Chief Justice Lahore High Court Mr. Justice Umar Atta Bandial at Lahore High Court, here today.

Various matters of mutual interest were discussed during the meeting. Later, the Chief Minister visited various wings of the Lahore High Court, along with the Chief Justice. Registrar and other officers of the Lahore High Court were also present on the occasion.

Meanwhile, Caretaker Chief Minister Punjab Najam Sethi has said that the tragic incident of burning down houses of Christian community in Joseph Colony Badami Bagh was an extremely regrettable act as no religion allows such an inhuman act. He said the barbaric incident was highly condemnable and there is a need to adopt effective strategy to stop recurrence of such incidents in future. He said all segments of the society would have to play active role in promotion of tolerance, forbearance and peace in the society. He warned that no such incident would be tolerated in Punjab in future.

Caretaker Chief Minister was presiding over a high-level meeting about relief work being carried out at Joseph Colony Badami Bagh held at Chief Minister’s Secretariat, today. The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary, Advocate General Punjab, Secretaries of Home, Law, Communication & Works, IG Punjab, Additional IGs, Commissioner Lahore Division, CCPO Lahore, DG LDA and other concerned authorities.

Addressing the meeting Caretaker Chief Minister Najam Sethi said that the image of Pakistan at the international level has been damaged as a result of tragic incident at Joseph Colony Badami Bagh, and such regrettable incidents are not tolerable at any cost. He said promotion of inter religious harmony was need of the hour for which every individual in the society would have to play his effective role. He said the constitution of Pakistan provides complete protections of rights to the minorities and they can enjoy equal rights under the law in Pakistan. Najam Sethi said all citizens belonging to minorities living in Pakistan are equal in the eye of law, while protection of their life and property is the responsibility of the state. He said that Christian community has played an effective role from establishment of Pakistan to the process of construction of Pakistan, while Christian educational institutions are playing effective role in promotion of education in Pakistan. He directed concerned authorities to adopt effective and concrete strategy for elimination of such incidents besides taking all possible steps for protection of life and property of minorities. A detailed briefing was given to Caretaker Chief Minister about the progress made in the case of Badami Bagh incident. Secretary Communication & Works informed that meeting that financial compensation of Rs. five lakh for each family has been distributed among 268 families of Joseph Colony Badami Bagh while all affected families have been rehabilitated in their houses after their reconstruction whereas a house which was completely destroyed is being reconstructed expeditiously. The meeting was informed that a permanent police chowki has also been set up at Joseph Colony besides ensuring regular police patrolling.