Former IG summoned in Model Town case

LAHORE: A Lahore High Court full bench on Monday summoned former inspector general police of Punjab Mushtaq Ahmad Sukhera in connection with cases pertaining to 2014 Model Town killing incident.

The three-member bench led by Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan directed Prosecutor General Punjab Ehtesham Qadir Shah to furnish Justice Ali Baqar Najafi’s inquiry report in a sealed envelope.

The court asked counsel for Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) to submit verified record, which the organisation claimed was sufficient material for the trial court to summon former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, Punjab chief minister Shahbaz Sharif and others to face private complaint regarding the Model Town incident filed by PAT. The counsel sought time to submit the record and requested the bench to defer the hearing until tomorrow (Wednesday). He said the appellant had not been provided with complete report of the inquiry conducted by Justice Najafi. The prosecutor general told the bench the PAT had already filed a petition in the court for the provision of documents and videos annexed with the judicial inquiry report. The bench pointed out that the Supreme Court had directed the high court to decide these appeals within two weeks. However, it accepted the request of the PAT counsel and adjourned hearing for tomorrow (Wednesday).

Meanwhile, PAT’s counsel Rai Bashir completed cross-examination of two defence witnesses (police personnel) during hearing of its private complaint before an anti-terrorism court. The ATC judge, Ijaz Hassan Awan, accepted an application of former DIG operations Rana Abdul Jabbar and allowed him one time exemption from personal appearance. The trial court is holding day-to-day hearing in the case on the direction of Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar.