Model Town violence: Notice issued to Minhaj on 3 ministers’ petition

LHC orders advocate general to submit reply today.

LAHORE: Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday issued a notice to the Minhajul Quran International administration director on a petition moved by three federal ministers challenging a sessions court’s order directing police to register an FIR against the petitioners and others over the June 17 Model Town violence.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Pervez Rasheed, Railway Minister Khwaja Saad Rafiq and State Minister for Water and Power Abid Sher Ali had filed the petition after the sessions court issued the directive on a petition by Jawad Hamid, the Minhaj administration director.

Advocate Azam Nazir Tarar, the counsel for the petitioners, said Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) leaders, including Tahirul Qadri, had refused to join the probe into the riots.

He said nobody from the Minhajul Quran International or the PAT had attended proceedings of the joint investigation team investigating the clashes. He said the petition filed by the Minhaj in the sessions court was politically motivated. He said those accused of the killings on June 17 had nothing to do with the incident.

Tarar argued that an ordinance whereby Sub-Section 6 was added to Section 22-A and 22-B of CrPC had lapsed and the sessions court no longer had powers to order an FIR.

Advocate General Hanif Khatana sought time to file his reply. The judge ordered him to submit his reply on Tuesday (today).

Published in The Express Tribune, August 26^th, 2014.