Woman's murder outside LHC: Four more suspects arrested

LAHORE: Police on Friday arrested four more suspects in the case related to the killing of Farzana Parveen outside Lahore High Court (LHC). The arrested suspects included the deceased woman’s uncle, two cousins and a man named Nasir. Parveen was attacked on Tuesday outside the LHC building in Lahore by more than two dozen brick-wielding attackers, including her brother and father, for marrying against the wishes of her family. CM Punjab gives 24 hour deadline for arresting suspects Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif gave a deadline of 24 hours to the Inspector General Punjab Police Khan Baig and directed him to arrest the suspects immediately. The provincial chief minister chaired a meeting on the murder of Parveen, who was bludgeoned to death with bricks outside the LHC while police stood by. The meeting was attended by IG Police Baig, the province's Home Secretary Azam Suleman, and Lahore Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Chaudhry Shafique Ahmad. During the meeting, IG Punjab Baig presented an initial report on the incident. Chief Minister Sharif while strongly condemning the brutal murder, said that the occurrence of such incidents despite the presence of police on the spot was a matter of great humiliation. The chief minister has directed that the case should be tried in an anti-terrorism court. He has also formed a high-level committee which is tasked with analysing the progress in the case on a daily basis and then reporting to him. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had directed the Punjab chief minister, who is also his brother, to act over the “brutal killing of the lady in the premises of the high court in the presence of police”. The LHC had also taken notice of the incident and has summoned a report on the matter from the district and sessions judge.