Punjab Disturbances Court Of Inquiry
Encyclopedia
On 19 June 1953 a Court of Inquiry was established to look into disturbances in the Punjab
, Pakistan
.
, Pakistan
, which in some places continued till the middle of April 1953. These took so alarming a turn and assumed such a menacing form that in several places the military had to be called in, and in Lahore
martial law
had to be proclaimed, which remained in force until the middle of May 1953. Before the declaration of martial law, the police had to resort to firing in several places and at least two persons were killed on the night of 4 March and ten on 5 March. Sixty-six persons more must have been injured in the firing because that number of wounded persons admitted to the Lahore hospitals had gunshot wounds. The number of casualties admitted by the military to have been caused in quelling the disturbances in Lahore was eleven killed and forty-nine wounded. In some other towns there were also a number of casualties caused by firing by the police or the military.
, of an ultimatum delivered to him in Karachi
on 21 January 1953 by a deputation of the Ulama
who had been authorised to do so by the Majlis-e-Amal constituted by the All-Pakistan Muslim Parties Convention held in Karachi
from 16 to 18 January 1953. The ultimatum was to the effect that if within a month the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
, also derogatorily known as Qadiani, were not declared a non-Muslim minority and Muhammad Zafarullah Khan, the Foreign Minister who was an Ahmadi Muslim, and other Ahmadis occupying key posts in the State, not removed from their offices, the Majlis-e-Amal would resort to direct action (rast iqdam). At a conference of the Central Ministers and representatives of West Pakistan
Provinces held in the early hours of the morning of 27 February it was decided to reject the ultimatum and to arrest the prominent members of Majlis-e-Amal in Karachi and some leaders of the movement in the Punjab
. The disturbances commenced immediately after, and as a direct result of, these arrests.
and Malik Rustam Kayani
, became the Punjab Disturbances (Public Inquiry) Act, 1953, Punjab Act II of 1954, directing the setting up of a Court for holding a public inquiry into the disturbances. In exercise of the powers given by subsection (1) of section 3 of the Ordinance, the Governor appointed Muhammad Munir and Malik Rustam Kayani members of the Court of Inquiry with the direction to make an inquiry into the disturbances in accordance with the following terms of reference:-
The court of inquiry commenced the inquiry on 1 July 1953 and held 117 sittings of which 92 were devoted to the hearing and recording of evidence. The evidence was concluded on 23 January 1954 and arguments in the case lasted from 1 to 28 February 1954. Five weeks were taken by the court of inquiry to formulate their conclusions and in writing the report.
Punjab (Pakistan)
Punjab is the most populous province of Pakistan, with approximately 45% of the country's total population. Forming most of the Punjab region, the province is bordered by Kashmir to the north-east, the Indian states of Punjab and Rajasthan to the east, the Pakistani province of Sindh to the...
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
.
Disturbances
In the beginning of March 1953, widespread disturbances broke out in the PunjabPunjab (Pakistan)
Punjab is the most populous province of Pakistan, with approximately 45% of the country's total population. Forming most of the Punjab region, the province is bordered by Kashmir to the north-east, the Indian states of Punjab and Rajasthan to the east, the Pakistani province of Sindh to the...
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, which in some places continued till the middle of April 1953. These took so alarming a turn and assumed such a menacing form that in several places the military had to be called in, and in Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
martial law
Martial law
Martial law is the imposition of military rule by military authorities over designated regions on an emergency basis— only temporary—when the civilian government or civilian authorities fail to function effectively , when there are extensive riots and protests, or when the disobedience of the law...
had to be proclaimed, which remained in force until the middle of May 1953. Before the declaration of martial law, the police had to resort to firing in several places and at least two persons were killed on the night of 4 March and ten on 5 March. Sixty-six persons more must have been injured in the firing because that number of wounded persons admitted to the Lahore hospitals had gunshot wounds. The number of casualties admitted by the military to have been caused in quelling the disturbances in Lahore was eleven killed and forty-nine wounded. In some other towns there were also a number of casualties caused by firing by the police or the military.
Causes
The disturbances were the direct result of the rejection by Khwaja Nazim-ud-Din, the then Prime Minister of PakistanPrime Minister of Pakistan
The Prime Minister of Pakistan , is the Head of Government of Pakistan who is designated to exercise as the country's Chief Executive. By the Constitution of Pakistan, Pakistan has the parliamentary democratic system of government...
, of an ultimatum delivered to him in Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
on 21 January 1953 by a deputation of the Ulama
Ulama
-In Islam:* Ulema, also transliterated "ulama", a community of legal scholars of Islam and its laws . See:**Nahdlatul Ulama **Darul-uloom Nadwatul Ulama **Jamiatul Ulama Transvaal**Jamiat ul-Ulama -Other:...
who had been authorised to do so by the Majlis-e-Amal constituted by the All-Pakistan Muslim Parties Convention held in Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
from 16 to 18 January 1953. The ultimatum was to the effect that if within a month the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is the larger of two communities that arose from the Ahmadiyya movement founded in 1889 in India by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian . The original movement split into two factions soon after the death of the founder...
, also derogatorily known as Qadiani, were not declared a non-Muslim minority and Muhammad Zafarullah Khan, the Foreign Minister who was an Ahmadi Muslim, and other Ahmadis occupying key posts in the State, not removed from their offices, the Majlis-e-Amal would resort to direct action (rast iqdam). At a conference of the Central Ministers and representatives of West Pakistan
West Pakistan
West Pakistan , common name West-Pakistan , in the period between its establishment on 22 November 1955 to disintegration on December 16, 1971. This period, during which, Pakistan was divided, ended when East-Pakistan was disintegrated and succeeded to become which is now what is known as Bangladesh...
Provinces held in the early hours of the morning of 27 February it was decided to reject the ultimatum and to arrest the prominent members of Majlis-e-Amal in Karachi and some leaders of the movement in the Punjab
Punjab (Pakistan)
Punjab is the most populous province of Pakistan, with approximately 45% of the country's total population. Forming most of the Punjab region, the province is bordered by Kashmir to the north-east, the Indian states of Punjab and Rajasthan to the east, the Pakistani province of Sindh to the...
. The disturbances commenced immediately after, and as a direct result of, these arrests.
Setting up of Court of Inquiry
On 19 June 1953, the Governor of the Punjab promulgated Ordinance III of 1953 which, with certain amendments suggested by Muhammad MunirMuhammad Munir
Muhammad Munir was Chief Justice of Pakistan from 1954 to 1960. After doing MA from Government College Lahore he joined Law College to earn his L.L.B. He started his career as a lawyer at Amritsar in 1921, later on he shifted to Lahore in 1922....
and Malik Rustam Kayani
M. R. Kayani
Muhammad Rustam Kayani also known as M. R. Kayani was a distinguished Pakistani jurist who served as Chief Justice of West Pakistan from 1958 to 1962. He is noted for his opposition to the dictatorship of General Ayub Khan....
, became the Punjab Disturbances (Public Inquiry) Act, 1953, Punjab Act II of 1954, directing the setting up of a Court for holding a public inquiry into the disturbances. In exercise of the powers given by subsection (1) of section 3 of the Ordinance, the Governor appointed Muhammad Munir and Malik Rustam Kayani members of the Court of Inquiry with the direction to make an inquiry into the disturbances in accordance with the following terms of reference:-
- the circumstances leading to the declaration of Martial Law in Lahore on 6 March 1953;
- the responsibility for the disturbances; and
- the adequacy or otherwise of the measures taken by the Provincial civil authorities to prevent, and subsequently to deal with, the disturbances.
The court of inquiry commenced the inquiry on 1 July 1953 and held 117 sittings of which 92 were devoted to the hearing and recording of evidence. The evidence was concluded on 23 January 1954 and arguments in the case lasted from 1 to 28 February 1954. Five weeks were taken by the court of inquiry to formulate their conclusions and in writing the report.