Who is behind the attack on judge’s residence?

How unfortunate and alarming it is that gunshots were fired twice at the residence of Supreme Court judge Syed Ijazul Hasan in a span of a few hours. Look at the audacity of the so-called “unidentified people”, who did not once but twice on SC judge’s residence situated in Lahore’s upscale Model Town neighbourhood. The question is: why didn’t the law enforcement agencies’ personnel rush to the honourable judge’s residence after gunshots were fired for the first time? Why did they allow the perpetrators an opportunity to attack his residence for the second time? It is quite clear that the incident was carried out by those who wish to unleash unrest on a massive scale in Punjab in particular. It is also quite clear that the incident is aimed at intimidating and browbeating the higher judiciary through an act of terrorism. But the higher judiciary led by Justice Saqib Nisar cannot be cowed down by such low tactics.

Justice Ahsan was one of the judges of a five-member bench that announced its verdict in the Panama Papers case. At present, he is monitoring the graft cases against the Sharif family. But mere condemnations aren’t sufficient to deal with the situation arising out of Sunday’s Model Town incident; nor are wild speculations of any help in this regard. The Punjab government and the country’s intelligence agencies are required to bring the culprits to book as soon as possible. This incident constitutes a grim reminder of the kidnapping of a son of the then Chief Justice of Sindh High Court in 2016.

Lahore Khanum Mumtaz