Model Town clashes: Authorities only ordered removal of barriers, says Punjab home secretary

Azam Khan and former Punjab law minister say they learnt of clashes through the media.

LAHORE: While Punjab government authorities admitted holding a meeting that called for the removal of barriers outside Minhajul Quran, they denied giving any orders or having any knowledge of who gave orders for the deadly Model Town clashes, Express News reported on Monday.

In a report handed to the judicial commission probing the incident, Home Secretary Azam Suleman Khan said that the meeting was held on June 16, a day before the clashes that left 14 dead Pakistan Awami Tehreek supporters, to discuss preparations for PAT chief Tahirul Qadri’s homecoming on June 23.

However, he, along with former Punjab law minister Rana Sanaullah and Punjab chief minister’s former principal secretary Dr Tauqir Shah, denied having any knowledge of the clashes and said they found out about them through the media.

Khan further said that when he found out about the clashes at 9 am, he informed the former law minister.

Sanaullah and Dr Tauqir gave similar statements in which they mentioned finding out about the clashes through the media. None of them mentioned who ordered the police to fire at the protesters in their reports.

Following the clashes, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif removed Sanaullah and Dr Tauqir from their positions.