Daily Times

LAHORE: Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar on Sunday took notice of delay in provision of justice to victims of the 2014 Model Town incident, a private TV channel reported.

The chief justice directed the Punjab government to come up with a report, explaining the reasons behind delay in dispensation of justice to the people affected in the incident. He directed the provincial law officer to submit a report of the provincial authorities in this regard.

Justice Nisar took notice of the matter on the request of the daughter of a woman killed in the incident, who complained that she still awaited justice despite passage of around four years.

On July 17, 2014, 14 people were killed and 100 others injured when police opened fire to disperse protesting workers during an anti-encroachment operation outside the residence of PAT chief Dr Tahirul Qadri. The judicial commission formed to probe the incident held that the operation planned and designed under the then Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah “could have easily been avoided” and that the “police officers actively participated in the massacre”.

“This tribunal has very carefully seen the CD of the first press conference of Chief Minister Punjab after the incident in which he did not specifically mention about his direction of disengagement. It has become crystal clear that order of disengagement was not passed at all, rather position taken by CM Punjab appears to be an afterthought defence not taken before the nation in the press conference,” according to the report.

The commission maintained that it arrived at the conclusion after “putting all facts and circumstances in juxtapositions.”

Earlier, victims of the Model Town tragedy staged a protest outside the SC registry in Lahore and pleaded for justice as the CJP arrived at the court premises. They held up banners and placards which urged the top judge to take suo motu notice of the incident. The protestors said that they were denied a fair trial in the case. They stated that they were constantly denied justice for four years and demanded that those deemed involved in the massacre be sentenced accordingly.

The top judge called the protestors into the courtroom and heard their complaints. “You will get justice. As long as I am here, you need not be afraid,” CJP Nisar assured the daughter of a woman who was killed in the incident.

Published in Daily Times, April 9^th 2018.