PAT chief calls for immediate release of Model Town incident inquiry report

LAHORE: Appreciating Lahore High Court (LHC)’s decision of releasing a report of the judicial inquiry into the killings of Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) workers in Model Town, PAT chief Tahir ul Qadri on Thursday said that his party has been waiting for the justice for over three years.

Coming down hard on former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, he said that ex-PM has been relentlessly hitting out at judiciary for disqualifying him in the Panamagate case. “He could not hold on criticizing the judiciary for disqualifying him in single reference. Our 14 men were martyred, [but] we did not lose our patience,” he added.

The PAT chief said that the actual figure of martyred workers is over 14, which has been understated. “The actual figure is 27,” he said.

Calling for immediate release of Model Town incident inquiry report, Qadri said that if Chief Minister Punjab Shehbaz Sharif was not involved in the incident, the report would have been released far earlier.

“[Names of] All responsible of Model Town incident should be placed on Exit Control List,” he demanded.

Our correspondent Abid Khan adds: Earlier today, the LHC announced its judgment on a petition ordering release of a judicial inquiry into killings of Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) workers in police firing incident in Model Town here.

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.