Police on Monday registered a case against unknown persons in relation to Sunday's attack on a candlelight vigil in Lahore to mark the death anniversary of former Punjab governor Salman Taseer.
The First Information Report (FIR) of the incident was registered in the Gulberg police station when activists from the civil society complained that their vigil to commemorate Taseer was attacked by unknown men.
The FIR has been registered against seven unknown accused and certain sections from the anti-terrorism act have also been added to the complaint.
Meanwhile, police sources say nineteen people have been taken into custody — including some who were seen to be involved in the attack.
Police sources told that most of those arrested belong to a banned organisation.
Taseer was murdered by his security guard Mumtaz Qadri for demanding reforms in Pakistan’s blasphemy laws in 2011. An anti-terrorism court had awarded death penalty to Qadri in October the same year.
Sunday’s attack on the vigil commemorating the later governor took place when members of civil society gathered at the provincial capital’s Liberty Chowk to light candles in the slain politician’s memory.
Baton-wielding miscreants tore apart banners and posters as they attacked members of civil society. Several people were injured in the sudden attack. The attackers had, however, managed to flee before police arrived at the scene.
Civil society activists said candlelight vigils have been organised in Taseer’s memory for the past four year, but this was the first time that such an event was attacked.
