Model Town evidence: LHC seeks arguments if newspaper clippings are admissible

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Friday asked the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) counsel to come up with arguments on a point that whether the newspapers clippings could be considered as admissible evidence in its private complaint against the 2014 Model Town incident.

A three-member bench headed by Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan passed the order on A petition challenging the decision of a trial court wherein former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah and others were excluded from the trial. On Thursday, the bench had directed the PAT’s lawyer to come up with the evidence, which he claimed was sufficient for the trial court to summon the 12 respondents.

Justice Aalia Neelum and Justice Sardar Ahmad Naeem were the other members of the bench. As the hearing commenced, Advocate Rai Bashir Ahmad, the counsel of PAT, presented the material.

However, the bench objected to the validity of evidence and directed the counsel to present verified proof. The bench observed that they wanted to hear the cases even on Saturday, saying no one would have any problem. On this, the PAT’s counsel pleaded the bench that he could not appear before the bench on Saturday for the personal reasons and proceedings should be adjourned till Monday. The bench accepted the plea and adjourned the proceedings, making it clear that they would hear the matter till 5 pm on Monday.

Previously, Advocate Azhar Siddique, who was representing the PAT, said he trial court ignored the facts and excluded the political leaders who had been mentioned in the private complaint of his client. The counsel said they could not submit the evidence at that time as it was collected at some later stage. The court asked him that how the evidence could be examined at this stage of the case and directed the counsel to submit complete record and evidence which he thought was ignored by the trial court.

Opposing the petition, Punjab Prosecutor General Ehtisham Qadir said that the ATC had already indicted the accused and had also recorded the evidence in the case. He implored the bench to dismiss the appeal of the PAT.

On last Saturday, the Chief Justice of Pakistan took suo motu notice of delay in dispensation of justice to the victim families of Model Town killings’ case and directed the high court to decide all the relevant appeals and petitions within two weeks.

At least 14 people died and 85 others got injured when clash erupted between police and the PAT workers over the issue of barriers lying outside Minhaj-ul-Quran Secretariat in June 2014.

On the other hand, an anti-terrorism court adjourned the hearing of Model Town case till today (Saturday) after recording statements of three witnesses.