LAHORE: A Lahore High Court division bench on Tuesday issued notices to the Punjab home secretary and other respondents on a petition of former Sabzazaar station house officer (SHO) Amir Saleem challenging investigation of the Model Town incident conducted by a Joint Investigation Team (JIT).
Punjab IGP Mushtaq Ahmad Sukhera and JIT head Additional IG Special Branch Dr Arif Mushtaq were also made party in the petition.
The petitioner was involved in the case registered about the June 17 incident wherein at least 11 supporters of the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) were killed outside the Minhajul Quran Secretariat in Model Town.
Representing the petitioner, Advocate Waqas Hasan Mir argued that the JIT had not fixed any liability of the petitioner under provisions of the Anti-Terrorism Act inserted in the FIR.
He said the report of a judicial inquiry into the incident held by Justice Ali Baqar Najafi was yet to be released by the government.
The counsel said the police denied fundamental rights of the petitioner by lodging a second FIR of the same occurrence.
He argued that by not complying with sections 4 and 5-A of ATA, the registration of subsequent FIR infringed the rights of the petitioner of due process of law and fair trial.
The counsel asked the court to set aside the 'defective' investigation of the JIT and order the government to make the tribunal report public.
The bench headed by Justice Shahid Hameed Dar heard the arguments and sought replies from the respondents by Oct 22.
