7th anniversary of Model Town killings: Tahir Qadri laments denial of justice

LAHORE: Workers of Tehrik Minhajul Quran (TMQ) and Pakistan Awami Tehrik (PAT) took out protest rallies here on Thursday to mark 7th anniversary of the Model Town killings where 14 people were killed and 85 wounded during police operation to remove barricades on roads.

Addressing the protest demonstration outside Lahore Press Club and other cities through video link, PAT and TMQ president Dr Tahirul Qadri said justice denied to victims’ families during the government of killers was quite understandable but continued denial of justice was even more cruel.

“Prime Minister Imran Khan had always backed me during press conferences and protests seeking justice for victims’ families when he was in opposition but why he has forsaken the victim families after coming into power is incomprehensible,” he said.

Dr Qadri said the murderers who should have been behind bars were roaming freely, while the innocent workers were still facing false cases registered by previous government. Why this oppression is continuing, he asked.

Accusing Sharif brothers for killing innocent workers for the sake of their power, Dr Qadri said they (Sharifs) met their fate for this crime as the big brother had to go in exile, perhaps for life, and the other was living as an under-trial accused.

Khurram Nawaz Gandapur said that long-delayed justice to victims’ families was much harsher oppression they faced on June 17, 2014, and wondered why PTI government was denying justice to them for seven years.

He said that the directives issued by the Supreme Court to the subordinate judiciary for expediting hearing of the cases were never implemented. The rally was led by Khurram Nawaz Gandapur, Jawad Hamid, Sultan Mahmood Ch, Hafiz Ghulam Fareed, Ishtiaq Hanif Mughal, Haji Farrukh Khan Qadri, Allama Imdad Hussain Shah, Allama Khalil Hanfi, Ali Qureshi, Noreen Alvi, Fehniqa Nadeem, Asghar Sajid, Engineer Sanaullah, Haji Amjad Qadri, Mian Mumtaz Hussain, Ch Iqbal and Hafeezullah Javed.