LHC orders release of Model Town incident inquiry report

LAHORE: Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday announced its reserved judgment on a petition and ordered release of a judicial inquiry into killings of Pakistan Awaami Tehreek (PAT) workers in police firing incident in Model Town here, ARY News reported.

The court was hearing a petition filed by the relatives of victims, seeking release of Justice Baqar Najafi inquiry report in Model Town incident. Justice Mazahir Ali Akbar Naqvi directed the authorities concerned to publish and made public the inquiry report.

It merits to mention here that as many as 14 workers of PAT had been killed on July 17, 2014 in police action against the party during an anti-encroachment operation outside the residence of party chief Dr Tahir ul Qadri.

On Tuesday, the court had reserved its verdict on petition after counsel for victims’ relatives concluded his argument.

Barrister Ali Zafar, while arguing on behalf of victims’ relatives, contended that releasing the inquiry report was a matter of public interest since the government was bound under the law to provide the required information to the public.

He further asserted that the report was in the government custody, but even after a lapse of three years, the government had been refusing to make it public.

On July 17, 2014, 14 people were killed and 100 others injured when the police opened fire to scatter protesting PAT workers during an anti-encroachment operation outside the residence of PAT chief Dr Tahirul Qadri.