Model Town incident neither planned nor anyone ordered police to shoot at protesters: Rana

• Punjab law minister offers to prove innocence before PAT chief Qadri

LAHORE: Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah has said that people would foil all conspiracies against Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) with the power of the vote.

Reacting to Pakistan Awami Tehreek-led All Parties Conference (APC), the minister said that the moot was held with some political agenda which could not be fulfilled, adding that the PAT wanted to use the Model Town incident for its political goals.

To a question, the provincial minister said that the opposition parties were afraid of PML-N and wanted to launch a propaganda campaign against them as they were fully aware that they could not compete with the PML-N in elections.

Sanaullah offered to prove his innocence before PAT chief Tahirul Qadri over the killing of 14 PAT activists during Model Town anti-encroachment drive in June 2014.

The incident on June 17, 2014, had claimed lives of at least 14 people and left over 100 others injured during an ‘anti-encroachment operation’ by Punjab Police outside Idara Minhajul Quran in Lahore’s Model Town.

“It was an incident, which neither had any planning nor did anyone order police to shoot protesters,” Rana told newsmen here on Sunday. “I invite Tahirul Qadri to sit with us and record statement after swearing on the Holy Quran.”

Urging the PAT chief to speak on oath regarding the incident, he said they were also ready to prove their innocence.

The PAT chief blames the Punjab government for the Model Town killings.

“This isn’t the first time we have been demanded to step down; efforts to create instability have been ongoing for past four-and-a-half years,” the provincial minister said, maintaining that protest sit-ins, long march and rallies were all aimed at preventing development in the country.

He said the nation has come to know of the reality of such people and his party would defeat the “conspiring forces” through a vote in the next elections.

Rana urged that those killed in Model Town incident should not be used for politics.

Confirming his meetings with PAT leader Khurram Nawaz Gandapur, he said the PAT leader also came to Model Town to meet him. “The matter could not be settled with Gandapur; we want to compensate relatives of Model Town victims.”

He further said they discussed compensation after approval by the Punjab chief minister.

The minister said he has immense respect for Pir Hameeduddin Sialvi, adding that a few individuals have been using Pir Sialvi and other scholars for the sake of politics.

Criticising the chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), he said Imran Khan would retire from politics in 2018.

“Khan would tell tales to kids that once upon a time he stayed inside a container for 126 days,” Rana said. “He would also tell them how he once demanded resignation from the PM.”

It is pertinent to mention here that the Punjab government, at the behest of the Lahore High Court, had made the report of the Model Town incident public on December 5.

The inquiry report, prepared by Justice Baqir Najfi commission, says that police tried to cover up the facts regarding who gave orders to open fire on protesters.