LAHORE: An additional district and sessions judge on Monday disposed of a petition moved by the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) for the recovery of more than 11,000 party workers allegedly detained by police ahead of the Youm-i-Shuhada observance.
At the last hearing, the judge had ordered a bailiff to submit a report by August 11.
The bailiff told the court on Monday police had not allowed court officials to raid Model Town and trace PAT workers. The bailiff said containers placed in the streets leading to Model Town had blocked access to the area.
The judge then disposed of the petition.
PAT office-bearer Mian Amjad had filed the petition accusing police of detaining 11,000 PAT workers on August 8 to prevent them from attending the Youm-i-Shuhada ceremony.
He said the detainees included 7,000 men, 2,000 women and 2,000 youth party workers. He said PAT chief Tahirul Qadri had announced Youm-i-Shuhada to pay tribute to those killed in the June 17 police operation in Model Town.
Amjad said the government had blocked streets to stop PAT supporters from observing the day. He said police were neither releasing the workers nor providing them food. He said government had unlawfully shut down fuel stations and suspended Metro Bus service to discourage people’s participation in the remembrance.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 12th,2014.
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