IGP, others ordered to deposit surety bonds

Model Town case

LAHORE

Anti-Terrorism Court Judge Muhammad Azam on Tuesday summoned Inspector General of Police, Punjab, Mushtaq Sukhera, DIG Operations, former Lahore DCO and 124 others to face trial on a private complaint filed by Pakistan Awami Tehreek accusing them of murder of  14 PAT workers on June 17, 2014.

The judge directed the accused to appear in person on February 17, the next date of hearing and deposit surety bonds of Rs 500,000 each.

On March 3, 2016, Pakistan Awami Tehreek and Minajul Quran had filed  a private complaint in the court seeking trial of Prim Minister Nawaz Sharif, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Federal Ministers Saad Rafiq, Khawaja  Asif and others, accusing them of murder of PAT workers.

However, the court dismissed PAT’s plea seeking trial of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif,  MNA Hamza Shahbaz, Law Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan, Railways Minister Khwaja Saad Rafiq, Defence Minister Khwaja Asif, former Information Minister Pervez Rashid, State Minister Abid Sher Ali, Interior Minister Ch Nisar Ali Khan, the then Personal Secretary to Chief Minister Syed Tauqir Shah, Home Minister Azam Suleman and then Lahore Commissioner Rashid Mahmood Langrial. The judge stated that the court could not try anyone without solid evidence. The court has partially accepted the PAT’s plea as it summoned the IG and others to face the trial and submit surety bonds..

Previously, the court had sought the record about joining of Inspector General Police, Punjab, Mushtaq Sukhera which was submitted on Tuesday. The record stated that the IGP took his charge at 9:35AM on June 17, 2014. It was alleged in arguments that IGP Mushtaq Sukhera had taken over as IGP before the Model Town incident. It was alleged that two PAT workers had overheard him giving orders and seeking report on wireless on 17 June 2014 in the morning, the day incident took place in Model Town in result of which 14 people lost their lives and 100 others suffered severe injuries.

During the course of proceedings, 56 witnesses recorded their statements and more than 10 videos were presented before the court which showed the whole incident in and outside Minhajul Quran Secretariat at Model Town. Khurram Nawaz Gandapur, who is now court absconder, also recorded his statement to the court saying that Prime Minister Nawaz sharif, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and other leaders of the party called him and one Fayyaz to their residence at H Block, Model Town and asked them to stop Dr. Tahirul Qadri from coming to Pakistan. He recorded his statement after getting bail from the court. The complaint was moved by Advocate Jawad Hamid.On Jan 17, 2014, 14 people were killed and 100 injured when clash erupted between police and workers of the PAT outside Idara Minhajul Quran at Model Town over issue of barricades.