LHC bars PAT from arrangements for sit-in on Mall Road

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) has barred the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) from making arrangements for a sit-in on Lahore’s Mall Road on Wednesday, ARY News reported.

The high court said the PAT should abide by the laws till the final verdict comes out regarding the 2014 Model Town incident.

Justice Mamoon Rashid Sheikh of the court has summoned PAT counsel Ishtiaq Chaudhry tomorrow morning and directed him to detail about the sit-in and stop preparations for the protest till further orders.

The LHC held hearing for the case on a petition filed by a trader Naeem Mir in which he challenged the announcement to stage sit-in on Mall Road.

Lawyer of the petitioner Asad Manzoor Butt pointed out that staging protest on Mall Road was in violation of the court verdict and it was a court’s job to force implement its ruling.

The counsel complained that preparations had started for the sit-in. On which, the LHC ordered to implement law in letter and spirit, while it also summoned PAT lawyer to appear with instructions from PAT leaders regarding venue of the sit-in.

Advocate General Punjab clarified that section 144 was imposed on Mall Road and the court had already given a verdict against holding sit-in on Mall Road.

The advocate general said the PAT had not made any formal request to stage a protest as yet.

PAT counsel Ishtiaq Chaudhry said the PAT had changed venue of the protest from Punjab Assembly to Istanbul Chowk.

The hearing would resume Wednesday morning at 9:00am.

Read More: Model Town victims’ families to stage sit-in in Lahore on Aug 16, announces Tahirul Qadri

Earlier, PAT chief Tahir-ul-Qadri had announced that families of Model Town massacre and party workers will gather on Lahore’s Mall Road on Wednesday to demand publication of Baqir Najfi Commission report.

“I appeal to the Chief Justice of the Lahore High Court to order publication of the Najfi Commission report. We want to know what the report has revealed regarding the dismal incident,” Tahir-ul-Qadri said while talking to media.

He regretted that Justice Najfi Commission was set up to probe the killings of 14 people but its inquiry report was never made public.