An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Lahore while rejecting a plea of Pakistan Awami Tehreek’s lawyers to defer Model Town tragedy case for an indefinite time, ordered that from now on the case will be heard twice a week on the directive of the Supreme Court. ATC judge Arshad Javed Chadhar adjourned the hearing till February 6.
Earlier, the defendant counsel Burhan Moazzam told the court that 9-year lapsed, despite 123 hearing of the case, Pakistan Awami Tehreek’s counsel were using delaying tactics. The counsel appealed that the case should be heard on regular basis.
On the occasion Ch Naeemuddin advocate, the counsel of Pakistan Awami Tehreek requested the court that till the presentation of new JIT report on the incident, no further hearing should be fixed. The complainant counsel requested that trial of Shahbaz Sharif, Rana Sanullah should be initiated at the same time. All the accused including police officers appeared in the court for the attendance. There are 124 accused in Model Town Tragedy case in which 14 activists were killed and more than 100 workers of PAT were injured in a clash with police.
Four accused including former SSP police Umer Virk, ex DSP Khalid Abu Bakar, Mian Shafqat and former SI Bashir Niazi had filed appeals for their acquittal in the case. While 5 accused including former IG Police Mushtaq Sukhera and DIG Operation Rana Abdul JAbbar have already acquitted in the case.
