ISLAMABAD: Dr Tahirul Qadri has accused the police in Lahore of trying to influence the families of the victims of the Model Town incident.
Fourteen people were killed after law-enforcement agencies personnel tried to forcibly remove roadblocks from the cleric’s Model Town residence.
In his speech on Wednesday night, Dr Qadri alleged, “Superintendent of Police Umer Virk is putting pressure on the families of the martyrs to settle the matter with the accused.”
Imran says ‘Charter of Democracy’ was the original ‘London Plan’
“Mr Umer, you should avoid pressurising the families of the victims, or we will not spare you once we get to Lahore,” he said.
Dr Qadri also claimed that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had cancelled meetings with the Pakistani community during his ongoing visit to the US out of fear that he would hear chants of ‘Go Nawaz Go’.
“I just received word from one of the members of Nawaz Sharif’s delegation in the US that the prime minister has cancelled all his meetings,” he said.
Also on Wednesday, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chief Imran Khan rejected allegations regarding the ‘London Plan’, saying that the ‘Charter of Democracy’ was the original ‘London Plan’ whereby the Pakistan People’s Party and the Pakistan Muslim League-N had decided to take turns in ruling the country.
The PTI chief also announced that the party was planning a massive gathering at the Minar-i-Pakistan. “PTI will break all attendance records with its huge gathering on September 28 in Lahore,” Mr Khan said.
“My dear Lahoris, you should be ready for the largest-ever public gathering at Minar-i-Pakistan on Sunday.
All those who have been trampled by injustice should not sit at home.
If you don’t have job, if you are suffering due to utility bills’ inflation, if you are struggling for justice, if you are suffering due to police culture and if you want to secure your rights; please participate in the PTI gathering on Sunday,” the PTI chief asked his followers.
“People ask me how I’m going to stay at D-Chowk. All of you know the answer; I won’t leave without securing the resignation of Nawaz Sharif, not because I want to be prime minister but because both the PPP and the PML-N have been looting people for the last 30 years,” Mr Khan said.
Late-night thundershowers did not dampen the spirits of either leader or their followers. But, the number of people at the sit-ins has dwindled. However, more people are expected to arrive at the sit-ins over the weekend.
Model Town case: FIR registered against Nawaz, Shahbaz and 19 others
LAHORE: A First Information Report (FIR) was registered against 21 persons, including the prime minister and Punjab chief minister, on Thursday on the the orders of the government.
The Punjab police received orders on Thursday to register an FIR against those responsible for the deaths of 11 Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) supporters in a violent clash with police.
Sections 419, 148, 234, 302 and 109 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, pertaining to murder, attempt of murder and terrorism, have been included in the FIR.
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A picture of the Model Town FIR received by Dawn.com
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Earlier today, a four-member committee formed by the Punjab government has started work on the recommendations in the Model Town judicial commission report. The committee has been mandated to fix responsibility in relation to the bloodshed that transpired in clashes between police personnel and supporters of Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Dr Tahirul Qadri.
The committee is expected to complete its proceedings in a week’s time and submit a report to the provincial government. It comprises of Justice (retd) Khalilur Rehman Ramday, the provincial interior and law secretaries and Punjab advocate general.
And after the findings that have emerged in the reports of the judicial commission and the joint investigation team, the government committee's fundamental task is to identify those ultimately for the Model Town tragedy.
Earlier, the Punjab government had requested the judicial commission for audio/visual evidence in relation to the tragedy.
The government commission begun its work days after the judicial commission investigating the Model Town incident held it responsible for the tragedy, saying the police had acted on the administration's orders which led to the bloodshed.
The report had said that the affidavits of Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and former law minister Rana Sanaullah contained contradictions regarding the orders they reportedly issued to the police to disengage, and said what happened on the ground did not match such claims.
At least 11 PAT workers were killed and over 100 people were injured during the clash in Lahore.
Model Town probe report says police acted on govt orders
LAHORE: The judicial commission investigating the June 17 Model Town incident has held the government responsible for it and said police acted on government orders which led to the bloodshed.
The report has said the affidavits of Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and former law minister Rana Sanaullah contained contradictions regarding the orders they reportedly issued to police to disengage, and declared that what happened on the ground did not match such claims.
Contents of the report, which the government says is secret, were first revealed by anchor of a private television channel on Tuesday and were confirmed to Dawn by independent sources.
Quoting the report, the sources said decisions taken at a meeting presided over by Mr Sanaullah before the incident led to the worst kind of bloodshed.
Punjab govt insists the judicial commission’s report is inconclusive
According to the report, Mr Sharif claimed in his affidavit that he had ordered police to disengage in Model Town. However, the chief minister did not mention this in the press conference he addressed after the fiasco.
“It seems the word ‘disengagement’ was an afterthought to save the chief minister,” the sources quoted the report as saying.
The report said the action in Model Town was taken under the orders of the government, said the sources. It also said the police were totally responsible for it.
A Punjab government spokesman said the report of the judicial tribunal was received and examined. It was observed that it required further analysis, as it was inconclusive.
He said that because the report was based on some documents, statements and affidavits which were not provided with it a request was immediately made to the high court for the provision of the documents so that the report might be reviewed and necessary action taken.
“Meanwhile, the government has constituted a committee to carry out a detailed analysis of the report and make recommendations and a way forward accordingly. The moment the subject missing documents are received, the report shall be referred to the committee and further necessary action would be taken in the light of its recommendations,” the spokesman added.
Sources in the Punjab government did not contradict the claims made by the television anchor or by those who talked to Dawn. But they insisted that the report was inconclusive.
The commission did not have the mandate to give findings or fix responsibility and its presiding officer, Justice Ali Baqar Najfi, mentioned this to media while handing over the report to the provincial home department.
They said that during the proceedings the commission did not object to the affidavit of the chief minister in which he had said that he had asked police to disengage.
His was the only affidavit which was not read out before the commission. Also, the chief minister was not cross-examined by the commission.
“Under the law, the objections are highlighted during cross-examination of the provider of an affidavit. And changes are shown to the supplier and his or her signatures are sought on it.
“If this is not done, the affidavit is considered to be accepted. And this is what happened with the chief minister’s affidavit,” a source said.
The sources said the Punjab government had sought affidavits and other documents from the commission exactly for this purpose. They said Mr Sanaullah ordered removal of the encroachments in front of Dr Tahirul Qadri’s residence after receiving reports that they were illegal. “He did not order action against anything legal.”
Official sources said the findings of any judicial commission were not binding on the government. And in this case there were no findings.
Giving findings and fixing responsibility were the job of the government. The government would fix the responsibility only after examining the supporting affidavits and other documents being sought from the commission, they added.
