HRCP calls for judicial tribunal to probe deaths of women in Lahore police custody

LAHORE: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has called for the establishment of an independent judicial tribunal, headed by a serving Lahore High Court judge, to investigate the deaths of two women, Amina and Anmol, while in police custody at Town Ship Police Station in Lahore.

In a fact-finding report issued on August 16, the HRCP highlighted several discrepancies between the official account of the deaths and statements provided by the women’s families, saying that the circumstances and causes surrounding the incident remain unclear.

According to the report, the two women were taken into police custody on August 4 over alleged theft and died within a few hours. Following the incident, conflicting official accounts emerged regarding the timing of their deaths, the sequence of events, their ages and whether they were alive or dead when they were taken to hospital.

The HRCP said police initially attributed the deaths to heart attacks. However, the final post-mortem reports have yet to be made public, leaving the exact cause of death undetermined.

The report also pointed to a discrepancy between the family’s account and official records. Family members reportedly said they observed injuries and dried blood on the women’s bodies, while official documents contained no mention of any external injuries.

The HRCP also raised questions about the preliminary post-mortem reports, noting that the medical observations recorded in the two reports were unusually similar.

The fact-finding mission expressed concern over the alleged absence of female police officers while the women were in custody, delays in informing their families, and what it described as unusual police control over the post-mortem process, burials and subsequent access to the graves.

The report also questioned police claims that both women were drug users, stating that the available evidence did not substantiate the allegations.

The HRCP said that although a judicial inquiry had been initiated under Section 176 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, the overall inconsistencies in the case warranted a more credible and independent investigation.

The rights body urged the Punjab government to establish an empowered judicial tribunal headed by a serving Lahore High Court judge. The tribunal should have the authority to summon witnesses, order the production of evidence and make its findings public within a specified timeframe, it said.

The HRCP further recommended that the tribunal, if necessary, order an independent forensic examination of the bodies, fresh post-mortems or exhumation, preserve and review complete CCTV footage, and independently verify the official timeline of events.

The report also called for immediate protection and legal assistance for the women’s families, noting that their vulnerable economic circumstances could expose them to greater pressure or threats while seeking justice.

According to HRCP Chairperson Asad Iqbal Butt, the discrepancies in the case make a transparent and independent investigation essential.