LHC to decide fate of new JIT Model Town massacre

Justice Qasim Khan asks government to submit all relevant reports and documents of the newly formed JIT

LAHORE: Lahore High Court’s full bench led by Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan summoned chief secretary, prosecutor general and other relevant officers by February 10 on petitions challenging the Punjab government’s new joint investigation team (JIT) on model town massacre.

Justice Qasim Khan also asked the government to submit all relevant reports and documents of the newly formed JIT.

“The fate of the accused behind model town massacre will be decided later but it seems the fate of victims of the aforementioned incident is being played and the government is also involved in it,” Justice Khan remarked.

The additional advocate general (Addl AG) contended that the report of the first JIT had been submitted before the court while the second JIT report could not be obtained.

“Your report, submitted before court, is not an attested report,” Justice Khan criticised the Addl AG to which he responded that the report was submitted to the court “as dispatched by the relevant department”.

“You mean that the Punjab government is not cooperating with the advocate general Punjab office?” Justice Khan questioned the defence counsel.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 21^st, 2020.