Model Town incident probe summons Shehbaz Sharif, others today

LAHORE: The joint investigation team (JIT) has summoned former chief minister Punjab, Shehbaz Sharif and his son Hamza Shehbaz, among seven PML-N leaders in the Model Town case on Monday (today), ARY News reported.

The JIT also issued summons to other Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders including Abid Sher Ali, Khwaja Asif, Pervez Rasheed and Rana Sanaullah. Former interior minister Chaudhry Nisar is also among those called by the probe team.

The JIT has formally begun its investigation into the Model Town incident that had claimed over a dozen lives.

Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and Khawaja Saad Rafique were also nominated in the case filed by Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT).

According to sources, the PML-N leaders have decided not to appear before the JIT. The party’s former law minister of Punjab, Rana Sanaullah has said that the formation of new JIT has been challenged in high court. The PML-N leaders will decide about appearing before the probe or not after the court’s decision on the petition.

The investigation team has also issued notice to former personal secretary to CM and others to appear before the probe and record their statement.

Additional IG Iqbal Hasan Shah, who is convener of the JIT, had issued summons to these political figures.

The Punjab Home Department on Jan 3 had formed a new JIT, on the court orders, for a fresh probe into the Model Town incident.

The Supreme Court had taken notice of plea on October 6 by Bisma Amjad, the daughter of Tanzila Amjad who was among those martyred in the Model Town firing incident, seeking the formation of a new investigation team to probe the carnage.

On June 17, 2014, at least 14 people were killed and 100 others injured when the police opened fire to disperse protesting Pakistan Awami Tehreek workers during an anti-encroachment operation outside the residence of PAT chief Dr Tahirul Qadri.