LAHORE: Supreme Court on Friday issued notices to Punjab prosecutor and advocate general in the Model Town clash case.
Fourteen people, in 2014, were killed and 85 others wounded when clashes erupted between Punjab Police and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) workers after the former started removing barriers outside the party’s secretariat in Model Town. The case is under trial in an anti-terrorism court in the provincial capital.
On Friday, hearing an appeal to summon the top leadership of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), the bench comprising Justice Gulzar Ahmed and Justice Faisal Arab sought a briefing on the progress made in the Model Town trial.
PAT lawyer informed the apex court that previously the ATC had dismissed the party’s request seeking to summon the PML-N’s top tier as accused. PAT then approached the Lahore High Court (LHC) – which maintained the trial court’s decision and rejected the appeal.
Justice Ahmed observed that LHC’s verdict had urged for the trial to be concluded before entertaining separate request summoning political leaders. It feared admitting the appeal may derail the trial.
PAT’s counsel said the trial had been delayed due to non-appearance of former Punjab IG Mushtaq Sukhera. “He has finally appeared before the trial court,” he added.
Later, the court issued to notices to the Punjab prosecutor and advocate general and adjourned the hearing.
It is worth mentioning here that the petition, submitted by PAT, lists former premier Nawaz Sharif, former Punjab chief minister Shehbaz Sharif, former interior minister Chaudhry Nisar, former provincial law minister Rana Sanaullah, former railways minister Saadi Rafique, and seven other PML-N leaders as respondents.
The petition prays upon the court to summon the political leaders in the matter owing to the evidence hinting at their involvement in the tragedy.
