Model Town Tragedy: Main suspects granted bail extension
ATC granted bail extension to three policemen accused in Model Town tragedy.
LAHORE (Dunya News) –An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Lahore on Thursday has granted bail extension to three policemen accused in the Model Town tragedy case until September 3, Dunya News reported. The court expressed resentment over joint investigation team’s failure to present the case record before the court.
The lawyer for suspects accused in the Model Town tragedy case argued that the policemen opened fire at the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) activists on the orders of senior police officers. He said that in order to save the top police officers the accused are being made a scapegoat. The investigation officer did not present the case record in the court to which the court expressed resentment, saying that not presenting the record means that there is something fishy going on. The court granted a bail extension to the three accused policemen Hafiz Athar, Constable Khurram and Naveed until September 3 and ordered that the investigation officer must present the case record in the next hearing.
Earlier, the case of Model Town tragedy could not be registered and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) delegate was told that action cannot be taken because Station House Officer (SHO) along with other superior staff was not present at the station.
PAT’s legal delegate remained at the station for several hours. The provisional challan nominating former Superintendent of Police (SP) Security Salman Ali among nine other officers as suspects was also sent to the prosecution department.
According to details, Tahirul Qadri’s Counsel Mansoor Afridi reached Faisal Town police station and handed the court order to the police personnel.
However, no action was taken by the police. Addressing the media, Mansoor Afridi said that the police are applying the delaying tactics.
Meanwhile, the police have sent the provisional challan of the Model Town tragedy case comprising ten pages to the prosecution department.
The provisional challan said that bullets were also fired from within the Minhajul Quran’s building during the Model Town tragedy and that Minhajul Quran administration did not cooperate in the investigation.
It further said that the investigation over the firing from within Minjahul Quran is still ongoing and that the revised challan will be submitted soon.
The provisional challan also says that no one ordered firing at civilians during the Model Town tragedy. It said that the chaos erupted in Model Town led to the cross-fire from both sides resulting in killing of twenty nine police officers and injury of SHOs.
