District Coordination Officer (DCO) Captain (r) Muhammad Usman on Friday recorded his statement before an anti-terrorism court (ATC) in the Model Town tragedy case.
Appearing before judge Khawaja Zafar Iqbal, the DCO submitted that the police and administration had tried their best to hold negotiations with enraged workers of the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT), but their protest deteriorated the law and order situation.
The DCO told the court that the enraged PAT workers held police officials hostage, so no operation could be initiated against encroachments.
According to the DCO, 38 injured police officials were shifted to hospitals whereas a rescue worker was also injured in an attack by the PAT workers. The camp set up for providing medical aid to the police officials was also set on fire, he added.
The DCO further submitted that the administration had gone there for a legal assignment, but it faced rowdy and unlawful attitude. “The police superintendent and assistant commissioner were holding negotiations with the workers but they started pelting stones on police officials,” he added.
The court after recording statement of the DCO adjourned the hearing.
The PAT lawyers would cross-examine the DCO’s statement on the next hearing.
