Registrar’s office ordered to consolidate pleas in Model Town case

LAHORE: A full bench of the Lahore High Court Wednesday directed the registrar office to consolidate petitions of Inspector General Police, Punjab and Idara Minhajul Quran pertaining to Model Town killings’ case. 

The bench headed by Justice Muhammad Yawar Ali issued notices to the parties and adjourned hearing until April 27. During the hearing, the bench dismissed the petition of former Lahore DCO Usman observing that the petition was not maintainable after appearing before the court.

Inspector General Police, Punjab Mushtaq Ahmad Sukhera had challenged the orders of an anti-terrorism court in which he and other officials had been summoned for trial in Model Town killings’ case in 2014.

On Saturday, Idara Minhajul Quran filed a writ petition challenging the decision of the trial court to the extent of not summoning Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah and others.

The petitioner had requested the court that the order of the trial court to the extent of not summoning 12 respondents including the PM be set aside and the court be ordered to summon them.

It may be mentioned here that it is first time since the Model Town incident in 2014 that a full bench has been constituted to take up these petitions against the orders of the ATC. The full bench initially took up the petition of IGP Mushtaq Ahmad Sukhera challenging ATC order for his trial. A special division bench is also there to take up the matters of ATCs.