Punjab govt forms new JIT to probe Model Town carnage

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LAHORE: Punjab Home Department has formed a new joint investigation team (JIT) to conduct a fresh probe into the 2014 Model Town carnage.

On June 17, 2014, Punjab police launched a crackdown to remove barriers erected outside the residence of the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Dr Tahirul Qadri. The subsequent clash between police and the PAT workers resulted in death of 14 activists of the party.

According to a notification issued by the home department on Thursday, the new JIT will be headed by Inspector General (IG) of National Highways and Motorway Police (NH&MP) A D Khawaja.

Among the members of the new probe team are Lt Col Muhammad Attiqueuz Zaman of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Lt Col Irfan Mirza of Military Intelligence (MI), Intelligence Bureau (IB) Deputy Director Muhammad Ahmed Kamal and Gilgit-Baltistan DIG (Headquarters) Qamar Raza.

Earlier in December 2018, the Supreme Court (SC) had winded up a petition in the Model Town case after the government had assured forming a new JIT to probe the incident.

Punjab Advocate General Ahmad Awais had told a larger apex court bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led Punjab government would be forming a new probe team.

The apex court on October 6 had taken notice of plea by Bisma Amjad, the daughter of Tanzila Amjad who was among those killed in the clash, seeking the formation of a new JIT.