Shahzad Ahmad
LAHORE - Pakistan Awami Tehrek (PAT) on Saturday filed an application in the Lahore High Court (LHC) requesting that the Punjab government be directed to issue a notification regarding formation of a new joint investigation team (JIT) to probe Model Town mayhem.
Minhajul Quran Director Admin Jawad Hamid filed the civil miscellaneous application.
Last Wednesday, Supreme Court (SC) Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar had directed the provincial government to constitute a new team to investigate Model Town massacre when the government said it had no objection on the formation of new JIT on the issue.
“On 5th of December, 2018, while hearing the matter by the larger bench of Supreme Court of Pakistan the matter was disposed of as government of Punjab consented before the honourable full bench about constitution of a joint investigation team,” says the application.
During the proceedings, Punjab Advocate General Ahmed Awais assured the court that the provincial government would form a new JIT over the issue.
Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Tahirul Qadri also appeared before the Supreme Court and pleaded that the supremacy of law had been upheld. The PAT chief during the proceedings broke into tears and said that the victims of Model Town incident were waiting for justice for the last four years. “The previous JIT was formed without taking us into confidence,” he added.
He later quoted the court as saying that there was no other way but to form a JIT. The court’s stance was also supported by the Punjab government, he said.
“That it is need of the day that all materials, documents, information… are necessary for the purpose of joining the investigation process in order to have a right of fair trial and due process of law,” it adds.
On June 17, 2014, Punjab police went to remove the barriers placed outside PAT chief Dr Tahirul Qadri’s residence and Minhajul Quran Secretariat in Model Town. The Minhajul Quran workers resisted the step which caused a deadly clash leaving 14 workers dead and dozens of others injured.
The apex court had taken notice of a plea of Bisma Amjad, the daughter of Tanzila Amjad, who was martyred in the Model Town firing incident demanding formation of a new investigation team to probe the carnage.
The applicant prayed that the respondent may very kindly be directed to place on record a notification for the purposes of constitution of a new joint investigation team, and information which is necessary to complete the investigation before the JIT.
Earlier, the Awami Tehreek, in its appeal against ruling of the trial court, had requested LHC to call former ministers, Khawaja Saad Rafique, Rana Sanaullah, Khawaja Asif and others in the case.
On September 26, the Lahore High Court had rejected the appeal filed by Minhajul Quran seeking nomination of Sharif brothers and others as accused in the Model Town incident case. A three-member LHC had unanimously rejected the plea to include Nawaz Sharif, his brother Shehbaz Sharif, former law minister Rana Sanaullah and half a dozen others in the list of accused nominated in the Model Town case.
Later on Oct 20, Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) approached the Supreme Court, challenging the Lahore High Court’s verdict regarding rejection of nomination of Sharif brothers in the Model Town case investigation.
