Punjab govt opposes unveiling inquiry report

LHC full bench issues notices for further arguments

LAHORE: The Punjab government on Tuesday opposed the publication of the Model Town inquiry report, and contended before the Lahore High Court (LHC) that an order in this regard passed by a single bench was beyond its jurisdiction.

Appearing before a full bench, headed by Justice Abid Aziz Sheikh, as a private counsel for the Punjab government, Khwaja Haris advocate requested the court to set aside the decision given earlier by the single bench, comprising Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi.



The Punjab government has moved an appeal against Justice Naqvi’s decision for making the Model Town inquiry report public. The government contends that making the report public might create law and order situation.

It also said that the order passed by the single bench was illegal and that the matter should have been referred to the full bench. The government lawyers mentioned that six cases were pending with the full bench, therefore, a single bench could not allow a petition in such a situation.

Advocate Khawaja Tariq Rahim and Advocate Azhar Siddique, the counsel for Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) workers, moved an application before the court, questioning the engaging of Haris as private counsel for the Punjab government.



They said that the reasons for hiring a private counsel submitted by the provincial government should be clear, adding that they wanted to know why the law officers were not there to represent the government. During the proceedings, lawyers from both sides also came hard on each other.

Legal heirs of the victims of the Model Town incident were also present in the courtroom. The bench, after hearing both sides, issued notices to the parties for further arguments on Wednesday (today).