Model Town tragedy: PAT announces countrywide protests

LAHORE: Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) on Wednesday announced to hold protests throughout the country on June 17 (tomorrow) to mark the seventh anniversary of the Model Town tragedy.

According to Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) spokesperson, the party will hold protests in more than 100 countries tomorrow on the “lack of justice” in the Model Town incident case.

“A rally will be taken out in Karachi tomorrow from Shaheen Complex to Sindh Assembly,” he said, adding that Dr Tahirul Qadri will address the gathering through video link.

The PAT has also invited Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), PML-Q, MQM-Pakistan, MWM and other political parties to attend tomorrow’s protest.

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 (PAT) workers during an anti-encroachment operation outside the residence of Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Dr Tahirul Qadri in Model Town of Lahore.

The second five-member Joint Investigation Team (JIT) formed on Nov 17, 2014 had conducted and finalised the investigation in May 2015, exonerating former chief minister and PML-N president Shahbaz Sharif and former provincial law minister Rana Sanaullah from charges of ordering or abetting the police action.

The new JIT (third) was constituted on January 3 in 2019 for a fresh probe into the 2014 Model Town carnage.