Summary Two persons including a woman recorded their statements to the judicial tribunal.
LAHORE (Dunya News) - Judicial tribunal probing Model Town incident directed the joint investigation team to submit initial report on July 3.
The judicial tribunal resumed the hearing on Tuesday and two persons including Muhammad Arshad and Naghmana Bibi recorded their statements as eye witnesses.
The witnesses stated they saw police opened firing on unarmed persons who were protesting against removal of barriers outside Minhajul Quran in Model Town.
The tribunal directed both the witnesses to submit their affidavits.
Meanwhile, Advocate Aftab Bajwa submitted an application an pleaded to the tribunal to put names of Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, former law minister Rana Sanaullah, CM’s former principal secretary Tauqeer Shah and higher police officers on Exit Control List (ECL) and detain them after registering a case. The tribunal directed the petitioner to appeal to the relevant forum in this regard.
The tribunal directed the joint investigation team to submit initial report on the incident on July 3. The tribunal remarked that the action cannot be taken only on the basis of statements however the complete security should be assured to those who want to record their statements.
Earlier on Monday, former Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah appeared before the judicial commission and stated that he did not order police to open fire on protesting Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) workers in Lahore’s Model Town area on June 17, Dunya News reported.
During the proceedings, Rana Sanaullah stated that a meeting was summoned to review law and order situation regarding long march of PAT chief Dr Tahirul Qadir after his arrival in Pakistan.
Rana Sanaullah said the Commissioner reported in the meeting that the barriers around Minhajul Quran were creating disturbance for the public after which he ordered to remove the barriers from there, however people at Minhajul Quran resisted and clashed with police that worsened the situation. He said that he did not order police to open fire.
Rana Sana told the commission that Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) informed him that the barriers had been removed and situation was under control.
Former principal secretary to Punjab CM, Dr Tauqeer Shah told the commission that Punjab Chief Minister had ordered police to withdraw the position but later it was seen through media that several people were killed in firing. He said the chief minister expressed his annoyance over not briefing him on the situation in time.
Meanwhile, reports of Home Secretary and Deputy Commissioner were also submitted to the commission. The former CCPO pleaded to the commission seeking permission for giving in-camera briefing. The commission accepted the plea.
During the proceedings, the lawyers raised objection over the legal status of the commission. Upon this, Justice Justice Ali Baqir Najafi remarked that the management of Minhajul Quran management enjoys right to raise question about the prevailing system and refusal to appear before the commission.
He said it not the task of the tribunal to award sentence or suspend it but to probe into the incident. He said the tribunal was exercising its full authority.
It may be mentioned here that Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif removed Rana Sanaullah from provincial law minister’s post on June 20 after deadly clashes between PAT workers and police claimed lives of twelve people including two women.
