A clash is imminent between supporters of the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) outside the Faisal Town Police Station in Lahore as PAT lawyers are present inside the police station to get an FIR registered over the Model Town killings in which 21 people, including Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, have been nominated as the main accused.
According to TV reports, the in-charge of the police station has refused to register the FIR until the outcome of the government-PAT negotiations in Islamabad. On the other hand, PML-N supporters, including traders, have also gathered outside the police station to protest against possible registration of the FIR.
Earlier, a team of PAT lawyers led by Minhajul Quran’s counsel Mansoorur Rehman Afridi arrived at Faisal Town police station with the LHC order. However, no duty officer was present at the station to approve the registration of the FIRs.
“We are being asked to register the FIR after one hour,” a PAT lawyer said, adding that their team has been at the police station for over an hour but there’s no one present to register the FIR.
According to sources, the police station has been ‘abandoned’ by its officials since the LHC upheld the sessions court’s decision to register FIRs against the PML-N leadership, including PM Nawaz Sharif and Punjab CM Shahbaz Sharif.
When contacted, SHO Faisal Town police station Sharif Sindhu said he was not at the police station because he was on leave. However, a leave of application for the officer could not be confirmed. “The police is currently seeking legal advice for the case,” Sindhu added.