Model Town violence: PAT to hold rally to mark one year of killings

Tahirul Qadri to address rally through video link.

LAHORE: The Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) will hold a protest demonstration on Tuesday (today) to mark one year since the Model Town violence.

The rally will be addressed by PAT chairman Dr Tahirul Qadri through video link. “Arrangements for the rally have been completed,” PAT president Dr Raheeq Abbasi said.

He said that Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), Jamaat-i-Islami (JI), Muttahida Qaumi Momvement, Awami National Party (ANP), the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid, Sunni Ittehad, All Pakistan Muslim League (APML), civil society, human rights groups and representatives of the lawyers’ community will participate in the rally.

“The Model Town tragedy was a national calamity. It showed the people the real face of the rulers. On June17, 2014, 14 innocent PAT workers were killed by police firing and 85 were injured. To this day, the families of the deceased await justice. An impartial investigation is yet to start,” he said.

Abbasi said that PAT had held rallies in 60 cities and towns against the joint investigation report. “The PAT, Minhajul Quran workers and civil society participated in the rallies. Participation of the citizens of the country in these rallies is a source of encouragement for the PAT,” he said.

He said that those behind the murder of 14 PAT workers were very powerful and influential. “We will not rest until the culprits are sent to the gallows,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 16^th, 2015.