Model Town tragedy: Dissenting note in JIT report pins blame on Shahbaz

Thirty-two page JIT report submitted to Punjab Home Secretary and Inspector General of Police Punjab


Asad Kharal August 25, 2014

LAHORE: In what is bound to provide fodder for protest rallies already calling for heads to roll, a number of members of a joint investigation team (JIT) investigating the Model Town shootings held the Shahbaz Sharif-led government responsible for the tragic incident, The Express Tribune has learnt.

According to sources, a few members of the JIT – which comprises representatives of the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), Military Intelligence (MI), Intelligence Bureau (IB), Police, Special Branch (SB) and Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) – have included an ‘Ikhtilafi’ (dissenting) note in the report, which pins the blame on the lower cadres of the police force.

The note states that Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, then Punjab law minister Rana Sanaullah, then principal secretary to the chief minister Dr Tauqeer Shah and other senior police officers were directly or indirectly  responsible for the killing of over a dozen PAT workers.

At least 14 PAT workers were killed and over 100 people were injured when police clashed with PAT workers on June 17 in front of Tahirul Qadri’s residence in Model Town, Lahore.

According to sources, Punjab police, the Special Branch, CTD and civilian spy agency, IB, tried to indict low-ranking police officials by convincing the Superintendent of Police (SP) Model Town to admit that he had only ordered policemen to open aerial fire after PAT workers opened fire on the police. The SP’s statement, however, could not be supported by any evidence because no weapons were recovered from PAT workers.

Further, in the dissenting note, the officials said that the FIR registered by the police on the Model Town incident should be discharged because PAT had not accepted it, no witnesses of the aggrieved party had appeared and the police had hidden key facts pertaining to the case.

Despite the JIT's recommendations, Faisal Town police station has refused to register a case according to the PAT application in which 21 persons, including Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, have been named.

The 32-page JIT report has been submitted to the Punjab home secretary, Punjab inspector general of police and other concerned officials, sources familiar with the matter told The Express Tribune.

On Thursday, due to the completion of the investigation and submission of a charge sheet, an Anti-Terrorism Court sent four policemen, including Station House Officer (SHO) Sheikh Amir Saleem, Elite Force Inspector Hafiz Athar and two other low-ranking officials, on a 14-day judicial remand for their alleged involvement in the Model Town tragedy. The police said that the investigation process had been completed and there was no need to remand any other officials.

COMMENTS (35)

Ch Akif Ajmal | 9 years ago | Reply

I am a supporter of PML(N). I strongly believe that CM should resign straight away and FIR should be launched only against Punjab Government and CM only but not against federal machinery. If CM is innocent and if their is any conspiracy from the "Hidden Force" then he should clearly make it public, other wise he should face the law. Also it should be made clear that no Hidden Force acts to use this case for political gain by threatening CM's life even in-case he is innocent. ( As was done in Bhutto's case where he was hanged unlawfully by Dictator) PM should not resign on the pressure of IK MOB.

Imran Qadri | 9 years ago | Reply

A ranger personnel sometime back killed an alleged mobile snatcher at Boat Basin Karachi while he was resisting his arrest( Sarfaraz Shah vs Ranger case), in that case was DG rangers asked to resign? was Corp Commander asked to resign? Was CM/PM or interior minister asked to resign?

No not a single senior Ranger official or Govt minister or functionary was asked to resign coz rangers troops at the scene on their own judgement took an action so only the ranger personnel who had fired the shot and his mobile in-charge had to face the court case(which later resulted in out of court monetary settlement)

Same is the case with Model town incident, anti encroachment campaign which started the previous evening and was resisted and repelled by violent Qadri supporters for almost 12 hours during which police retreated 3 times as they had to face serious violent resistance from Qadri's supporters, When police returned for the 4th time, some policeman apparently started firing live rounds on violent protesters and 14 lives were lost.

Now someone should explain to me the following:

Had police's intention been to kill Qadri's supporters from the onset of this episode then why would they have retreated 3 times without taking any lives?

If some police officer took (wrong decision) to fire live bullets on violent protesters then why should all police force and their seniors and govt functionaries including CM,Interior Minister,Law minister and 21 others including federal ministers and PM be accused and nominated in the case when wrongdoing has been committed by few police man present on the scene?

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