Questions galore: Why was the IGP removed ahead of Model Town operation?

Minhajul Quran sent last notice to participate in the investigation.

LAHORE:

The judicial tribunal probing the Model Town incident directed the provincial government on Monday to inform the tribunal about the circumstances leading to the Punjab Police inspector general’s transfer immediately preceding the June 17 police operation.

In a written order, the tribunal said that it deemed it expedient to ascertain the facts and circumstances of the incident leading to the change of the inspector general of Punjab Police immediately before the unfortunate incident. The tribunal sought a report on this by July 23, the date of next hearing. The hearing will begin at 11:30am, unlike the previous proceedings which began at 2pm.

On Monday, former Lahore DIG Rana Abdul Jabbar and Superintendents Maroof Safdar Wahla, Malik Awais, Umar Virk, Dr Farrukh Raza, Muhammad Nadeem, Agha Muhammad Ramazan, Abdul Raheem Sherazi, and Salman Ali Khan appeared before the court and submitted their affidavits. The affidavits were made part of the tribunal’s record. The tribunal asked them to appear before the tribunal later if further questions arise. Model Town Operations SP Tariq Aziz submitted his own medico-legal certificate along with his affidavit.

The tribunal remarked that that a substantial portion of its work had been completed but it was yet to receive assistance from the Minhajul Quran Secretariat. Justice Ali Baqar Najfi said that the tribunal had issued the Minhajul Quran Secretariat several notices to come forward and give evidence. Considering that, the tribunal issued the Minhaj-ul-Quran Secretariat its last notice for participation in the investigation. It has asked the Mihajul Quran to produce any evidence it has on July 25. The tribunal said that any mode of participation, involving modern devices, will be available to them. If they are willing, they may contact the registrar of the tribunal, the judge said.

Soft copies of the cell phone data provided by Mobilink, U-fone and Warid have been provided to ISI Deputy Director Asad Ali Khan for analysis. He has been asked to submit a report by July 23. Zong Cellular Company is yet to provide cell phone data. The company was issued a notice to provide the data by July 23. Zong can collect the cell numbers from the registrar of the tribunal, the judge said.

The tribunal directed Saiful Murtaza, a member of the JIT, to hand over a copy of the application presented by the Minhajul Quran Secretariat as their version of the unfortunate incident at the next date of the hearing.

The tribunal also called for reports from the Special Branch, Intelligence Bureau and the ISI regarding any information they had provided to the provincial government before the Model Town operation.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 22^nd, 2014.