Punjab

Model Town incident: Court summons IGP, 126 people

Judge directs accused to appear in person on Feb 17

Rana Yasif February 08, 2017

During the meeting, the participants deliberated on the ways to increase pressure on the government to impart speedy justice to the victims of Model Town incident. PHOTO: MEHMOOD QURESHI/EXPRESS

LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court judge Muhammad Azam summoned 127 persons including IG Punjab Mushtaq Sukhera, DIG operations, former DCO Lahore and other respondents in a private complaint filed by Pakistan Awami Tehreek against the Model Town incident.

The judge directed the accused persons to appear in person on February 17, the next hearing, and deposit surety bonds of Rs500,000 each.

On March 3, 2016 Pakistan Awami Tehreek and Minhajul Quran had filed a private complaint in the court seeking trial of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif, federal ministers Saad Rafique and Khawaja Asif and others accusing them of the ‘murder of innocent PAT workers on June 17’.

The complaint was moved by Advocate Jawad Hamid against PM Nawaz, CM Shahbaz, federal ministers Saad Rafique, Khawaja Asif, Pervaiz Rashid, Abid Sher Ali, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and provincial minister Rana Sanaullah, IG Police Mushtaq Sukhera, Home Secretary Azeem Sultan and 139 police officials.

The court, however, dismissed PAT’s plea seeking trial of the premier, chief minister, provincial law minister Rana Sanaullah and eight other MNAs. The court has partially accepted PAT’s plea and summoned IG Punjab and others.

Previously, the court had sought records of Inspector General Police Punjab Mushtaq Sukhera which was submitted on Tuesday. The record stated that the IGP assumed charge on June 17, 2014.

Moreover, two PAT workers had overheard him giving orders and seeking a report on a wireless on the day the incident took place in Model Town resulting in the death of 14 PAT workers. Over a 100 party workers were said to have been injured in the incident.

During the course of the proceedings Khurram Nawaz Gandapur, who is now a court absconder, also recorded his statement alleging that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and other leaders of the party called him to their residence and asked him to stop Dr Tahirul Qadri from coming to Pakistan. He recorded his statement after getting bail from the court.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 8^th, 2017.

COMMENTS (1)

Jawed | 7 years ago | Reply Of course it was expected that the court will not summon PM, CM ministers during PMLN rule, BUT the court has accepted the plea and the fact that top police officers are being treated like criminals is a positive move. This means ATC has accepted the evidence given by PAT to be correct. Hopefully the cops who are being made scapegoats will spill the beans on who gave the orders to carry out Model Town Massacre.

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