LHC upholds decision to make Model Town incident report public
LHC dismissed the appeal of Punjab government against its previous decision.
LAHORE (Dunya News) – The three-member bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC) headed by Justice Abid Aziz Sheikh on Tuesday rejected Punjab government’s petition and upheld the decision to make the Model Town judicial inquiry report public.
The court dismissed three appeals filed by the Punjab government against the release and ordered to public the report of Justice Baqir Najafi Commission within 30 days.
It has also directed to provide the copies of the report to the heirs of Model Town tragedy victims within three days.
According to details, LHC’s Justice Mazahar Ali Naqvi had directed Punjab government to make the report public on September 21. Punjab government then filed an intra-court appeal against the single-bench verdict.
Punjab government opted the stance that the report can be used against the accused during trial and requested the court to suspend the decision of disclosing the report.
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Pakistan Awami Tehrik (PAT) had argued that the report should be made public because it is the right of people to know who killed their loved ones in the incident.
At least 14 people had been killed and scores others injured in the June 17, 2014 clash between police and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) workers. Punjab Police went to remove the barriers placed outside Dr Tahirul Qadri’s residence and Minhajul Quran International (MQI) Secretariat in Model Town. The workers of MQI resisted the move which led to a deadly clash.
Reviewing LHC’s verdict
The Punjab government is considering to refer Supreme Court against the decision of LHC. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Zaeem Qadri has said that consultations are underway in the matter.
He maintained that they have two reports of Joint Investigation Team (JIT) related to the incident which should also be taken into consideration. Qadri declared that eliminating Shehbaz Sharif’s politics will remain a wish of PTI.
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Advocate General Punjab informed Punjab CM of the court’s decision followinhg which he has summoned Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah and Home Secretary Azam Suleman Khan.
