LAHORE - Giving three-day time to former law minister Rana Sanaullah and former personal secretary to Punjab chief minister Dr Tauqir Shah, the one-judge inquiry tribunal comprising Justice Ali Baqar Najfi on Thursday directed them to submit their written reply regarding Model Town tragedy on June 30.
As the proceedings started, former law minister Rana Sanaullah and Dr Tauqir Shah appeared before the tribunal and said they had just received the notices.
They requested the judge to give them time to submit reply on the matter. Justice Najfi accepted their plea and directed them to submit their duly sworn affidavits regarding the facts and circumstances of Model Town tragedy which left at least 11 people dead and 85 others injured.
The tribunal directed capital city police officer to produce all injured admitted at different hospitals to appear before it and record their statements. The tribunal also sought separate reports from Punjab home secretary, Lahore commissioner and ex-CCPO, Lahore (Mr. Shafique Ahmad Gujjar) to ascertain the facts and circumstances of the unfortunate incident. They were also directed to appear in person on the next date of hearing.
The medical officers of Jinnah Hospital, Services Hospital, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital and General Hospital were also summoned alongwith attested copies of the complete post-mortem reports of the deceased and medico-legal reports of the injured persons on the said date. The Punjab health secretary will be responsible to produce them alongwith record, the tribunal further directed.
Earlier, Mushtaq Ahmad Sukhera, Inspector General of Punjab Police, requested the judge for his exemption from appearing before the Tribunal with an undertaking to appear at any future time when directed. The tribunal also accepted his plea but directed him to depute some other responsible officer of equal status and competency to attend the proceedings of the tribunal. “However, he will appear before the tribunal whenever so required,” the tribunal observed.
IGP also submitted a report before the tribunal and said that son of late Muhammad Iqbal namely Asif Iqbal was detained and later on released.
On Thursday, CD’s on behalf of the Waqat TV and Dunya TV were tendered by reporters Abdur Rehman and M Ashfaq of both TV channels respectively. Capital TV presented a footage which was also made part of the record. A suggestion was given in writing by Mrs Shabnam Aslam Nagi advocate requiring the tribunal to summon the injured witnesses who were either discharged by the hospital or still under treatment. Another suggestion was made by her to summon the Punjab Chief Minister, the former inspector general of police punjab and former DCO Lahore. Her application was made part of the record.
Rana Athar Farooq advocate submitted an application before the tribunal to determine the status of Minhaj-ul-Quran, academy and secretariat and disbursement of its funds. The application shall also be made part of the record and an appropriate order will be passed. One Syed M Iqtidar Haider also placed on record an application alongwith photocopy of the article published in Nawa-e-Waqat dated 21.06.2014 and copy of the judgment reported in PLJ 1999 Lahore 801.
A large number of lawyers, besides LHCBA representatives, were present on the occasion who submitted their suggestions. High security arrangements had been made for former law minister Rana Sanaullah when he appeared before the tribunal. PML-N lawyers wing formed a protective shield around Sana. The proceedings were adjourned till June 30.
AITZAZ DOUBTFUL ABOUT EFFICACY OF INQUIRY
PPP Senator and former president of Supreme Court Bar Association Aitzaz Ahsan has expressed doubt about the efficacy of judicial inquiry being carried out by LHC into the killings of workers of Pakistan Awami Tehreek.
He said many judicial inquiries held in past failed to produce the required results. He expressed these views while talking to reporters at the premises of Lahore High Court here on Tuesday.
Answering a question about dramatic arrival of Dr Qadri, Aitzaz said the killing of innocent workers was highly condemnable but Dr Qadri would go back to Canada. To another question about hijacking a foreign airline, he said government and Qadri hijacked the plane. He said the whole episode brought a bad name to the country in the world.
He stressed upon the need of facilitating IDPs in order to make the operation a success.