SC constitutes larger bench for formation of JIT in Model Town case
The SC had issued notices to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, Shehbaz Sharif and 139 others.
LAHORE (Dunya News) – Supreme Court (SC) on Monday has constituted a larger bench for the formation of Joint Investigation Team (JIT) in Model Town carnage case that will start hearing from December 5.
During the hearing headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar at SC Lahore registry, Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Tahirul Qadri said that the case has suffered a lot after the indictment of former Punjab Inspector General Mushtaq Sukhera.
He further requested the court to form JIT for proper investigation.
Meanwhile, Gullu Butt, the baton-wielding man who was caught vandalizing property during violence in Model Town, said he is innocent and that he will accept whatever court will announce for him.
On the other hand, National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) Director General Shahzad Saleem informed the court that former Punjab Chief Minister (CM) and Opposition Leader in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif doesn’t want to appear in Model Town carnage case.
Shehbaz Sharif, who is under NAB’s custody on a physical remand, has said that he doesn’t want to attend the hearing and suggested his lawyer’s name for the proceedings.
The SC had issued notices to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, Shehbaz Sharif and 139 others.
Earlier, Lahore High Court (LHC) had turned down PAT plea seeking summons of ex-prime minister Nawaz Sharif, former Chief Minister of Punjab (CM) Shehbaz Sharif and ten other ministers in the case.
PAT, in its appeal against the ruling of the trial court, had requested LHC to call former ministers Khawaja Saad Rafique, Rana Sanaullah, Khawaja Asif and others in the case.
Police sources had revealed that former Punjab law minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Rana Sanaullah was the mastermind of the carnage. Sanaullah had directed to launch operation against the Model Town protesters despite then home secretary Azam Suleman’s opposition, they added.
On June 17, 2014, Punjab police went to remove the barriers placed outside PAT Chief Dr Tahirul Qadri’s residence and MQI Secretariat in Model Town. The MQI workers resisted the move which led to a deadly clash leaving 14 workers dead and dozens injured.
