Model Town Killings: CJP Nisar forms larger bench to decide on new JIT formation

ISLAMABAD - Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar formed a larger bench of supreme court to decide on whether a new Joint Investigation Team should be formed on the Model Town killings case or not.

During the hearing of the case on Monday, Opposition Leader in National Assembly and former Punjab chief minister, Mian Shehbaz Sharif decided against appearing before the Supreme Court's Lahore registry.

On the other hand,  Pakistan Awami Tehreek chief Dr Tahirul Qadi attending the hearing.

Strict security arrangements were put in place around the Lahore registry of the supreme court ahead of the hearing.

During the hearing, the Director General of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Shahzad Saleem informed the court that the president of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz had decided not to appear in the case.

'Shehbaz Sharif has assured in written that he would not appear before the bench' Saleem said and added that Shehbaz's counsel Azam Nazeer Tarar would appear on his behalf.

After hearing the arguments, the top judge remarked that a larger bench comprising 5 judges would be constituted which would make a decision on a fresh JIT.

'I, along with Justice Asif Saeed Khosa would be a part of the bench,' remarked the chief justice.

He remarked that the bench would comprise judges from different provinces and adjourned the hearing till December 5.

The apex court had issued notices to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his brother Shehbaz Sharif and 137 others in this regard. A copy of the court notice has also been sent to Hamza Shehbaz, Rana Sanaullah, Daniyal Aziz, Pervaiz Rashid, Khawaja Saad Rafique, Khawaja Asif, Abid Sher Ali and other respondents in the case.

The accused police officers include former IGP Mushtaq Ahmad Sukhera, former DIG Operations Lahore Rana Abdul Jabbar and then SP Security Salman Ali Khan.

At least 14 people were killed and 100 others injured in police action against Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) workers in Lahore's Model Town area during an 'anti-encroachment operation' on June 17, 2014.

https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/headline/sc-takes-up-petition-seeking-new-jit-in-model-town-killings-case/

Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Mian Saqib Nisar on October 6 took notice on the petition of Bisma Amjad, who had been affected by the incident.

A two-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar will hear the petition on Monday. The court would decide a legal point whether a new JIT could be formed at this stage of the case.

Model Town report

The Punjab government, at the directives of the Lahore High Court, had made the report of the Model Town incident public on December 5, 2017.

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

It adds that no legal opinion was sought from the Punjab advocate general prior to the start of the operation.

The commission, in its report, also stated that on the ground, the standoff continued the whole night, resulting in minor injuries to police constables as well as PAT workers.

The commission observed: "The level of cooperation in digging out the truth is that no police official from top to bottom, whether actively participated in the operation or not, did utter a single word about the person under whose command the police resorted to firing upon the PAT workers."

Further, in its conclusion, the commission said, "It is shocking to note that everyone has deliberately but unsuccessfully tried to cover each other from possible adverse legal effects."