LHC asks PAT to produce evidence for summoning Sharifs in Model Town case

Full bench passes the order on PAT's appeals

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) directed the counsel for Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) on Thursday to produce evidence which “was sufficient for summoning former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif and others” in the Model Town killings case.

The full bench, headed by Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan, passed the order on appeals filed by PAT and others. Justice Aalia Neelum and Justice Sardar Ahmad Naeem are the other members of the bench.

Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan asked the lawyer of PAT to substantiate his assertion that certain evidence was overlooked by the trial court because of which the top PML-N leaders were eventually not summoned.

The lawyer said that the evidence could not be submitted at that time because it was collected at a later stage.

The judge asked him how could the evidence be examined at this stage?

The court directed the lawyer to submit complete record and evidence which he thought had been ignored by the trial court.



Opposing the petition, Prosecutor-General of Punjab Ehtisham Qadir said that the ATC had indicted the accused and also recorded evidence in the case. He requested the court to dismiss the PAT’s appeal.

After hearing arguments of both sides, the bench adjourned the hearing of the case till Friday (today).

The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court had initiated suo motu action on Saturday last week against the delay in dispensation of justice to families of victims of the Model Town incident and directed the high court to decide all relevant appeals and petitions within two weeks.

At least 14 people had died and 85 others were injured in a clash between police and PAT activists over the issue of removing barriers outside the Minhajul Quran Secretariat in June 2014.