A tribunal probing the June 17 bloody clashes in Lahore’s Model Town neighbourhood, in which at least eight people were killed and dozens injured, asked the provincial chief secretary on Monday to appear before it and submit a report on the circumstances leading to a reshuffle in the bureaucracy.
The reshuffle included posting of a new inspector general of police (IGP) and replacement of the district coordination officer (DCO) in Lahore.
“The chief secretary be directed to appear before this tribunal and submit the report regarding the facts and circumstances for such changes of the key postings in Lahore and the province of Punjab,” said the tribunal of Justice Ali Baqar Najfai.
Earlier, the Punjab home department submitted before the commission a report, stating that a joint investigation team (JIT) had been constituted.
Social Welfare and Baitul Maal secretary told the tribunal that there was no specific head for disbursement of compensation to the victims of the incident. “But the DCO Lahore has placed on record the photocopies of the cheques [each of Rs3 million] issued in the names of the legal heirs of nine deceased persons.”
The health secretary also submitted details regarding the medico-legal reports of the injured and the autopsy reports of the deceased.
The IGP also submitted daily progress report, which was made a part of the record. The official also made a written request for exemption from appearance on account of the law and order situation in Lahore. The tribunal granted him exemption for one day (Monday).
The tribunal also granted one-day exemption from appearance to former provincial law minister Rana Sanaullah and former principal secretary to Punjab Chief Minister Dr Tauqir Shah in view of the law and order situation on Monday. A private news channel also shared a CD of the footage, which was made a part of the record.
The tribunal was told that one deceased Muhammad Iqbal’s son was missing and could not be traced out. The tribunal directed SP (Investigation) Muhammad Nadeem to determine his whereabouts and submit a report before the tribunal at the next date of the hearing.
The tribunal observed that an advertisement – welcoming all the people to share any information they had about the incident – had already been circulated in both electronic and print media. The judge then deferred the proceedings till June 26.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 24th, 2014.
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