LHC resumes hearing today on plea against Model Town incident JIT

LAHORE:A Lahore High Court seven-judge larger bench on Monday (today) would resume hearing on a petition against the second joint investigation team (JIT) constituted by the PTI-led Punjab government to hold a fresh probe into 2014 Model Town incident.

Chief Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan will be heading the bench with Justice Muhammad Ameer Bhatti, Justice Malik Shahzad Ahmad Khan, Justice Aalia Neelum, Justice Sardar Sarfraz Dogar, Justice Asjad Javed Ghural and Justice Farooq Haider its members. Police Inspector Rizwan Qadir, Head Constable Khurram Rafiq and other police officials have challenged the legitimacy of the second JIT. Barrister Syed Ali Zafar will represent the victims of the incident and the workers of Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT).

On June 17, 2014, at least 14 people were killed and 100 others injured when police opened fire to disperse protesting activists of PAT during an ‘anti-encroachment’ operation outside the residence of its PTA Chairman Dr Tahirul Qadri.

The PAT had filed a private complaint before an anti-terrorism court against the then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and almost all federal and provincial cabinets of PML-N besides the officials of police and district administration accusing them of killing its workers.