LAHORE - The Joint Investigation Team (JIT), in its report on the Model Town killings of the PAT workers in June last, has given clean chit to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and former law minister Rana Sana Ullah Khan.
The report has held the police and the Pakistan Awami Tehreek workers inside and outside Minhajul Quran responsible for the clash on June 17, 2014, in which 14 PAT members, including women, were killed.
According to the JIT report, the PM, the CM and ministers or advisers of the federal government had no role in the clash nor had they any link with the incident.
Quoting the JIT report, the news channels said no minister or adviser had anything to do with the clash and unrest on that day and allegations against the prime minister and federal ministers were unfounded. The report said that 20,000 to 30,000 workers of PAT clashed with the police personnel and both sides threw stones at each other, which led to firing. The clash between the two sides resulted in the loss of lives and property.  As per detailed contents of the report, SP Salman ordered the police to open fire after a policeman was killed. At least 10 policemen have been named in the case’s challan while 42 PAT workers named for throwing stones and petrol bombs on the police personnel.
The JIT report says that no minister or adviser of the provincial government was involved in the incident. It further states the contact of DIG Operations Rana Abdul Jabbar with former law minister Rana Sanaullah and CM Shahbaz Sharif could not be proven. It also notes that the DIG’s visit to the crime scene at night of the incident was also not proven.  The JIT, however, found certain aspects of the matter still unclear, requiring fresh probe. So another JIT was constituted.