Model Town carnage case: Court displeased over PAT’s delay request

Model Town carnage case: Court displeased over PAT’s delay request

Amir Riaz
June 17, 2022

Model Town carnage case: Court displeased over PAT’s delay request

An Anti-terrorism court on Friday expressed displeasure over Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) for delaying the trial proceedings of the Model Town incident and acquittal applications of the suspects.

Presiding Judge Ijaz Ahmad Buttar was hearing concluding arguments of Advocate Burhan Moazzam Malik on behalf of former IGP Mushtaq Ahmad Sukhera and three other suspects in the incident when a counsel for complainant Jawwad Hamid of the PAT requested the judge not to decide the acquittal pleas as his (judge) tenure was going to end in few days.

Other suspects who filed acquittal pleas include former DIG operations Rana Abdul Jabbar, former SP Model Town Tariq Aziz and former town municipal officer Nishtar Town Ali Abbas.

Taking exception to the request of PAT’s counsel Makhdoom Majeed Hussain, the judge observed that whether the PAT would control the proceedings of the court.

The judge asked the counsel to cite any law in support of his request.

“Here you request the court for delaying proceedings and later tell media the court is delaying the proceedings,” the judge reminded the counsel of the PAT.

Advocate Malik opposed the application of the complainant’s counsel and argued that the PAT was trying to control the court’s proceedings.

In his arguments on the acquittal applications, he said no case of terrorism could be registered against police or government officials as they were performing their official duty on the scene.

To a court’s query, the counsel of the suspects said the court could invoke section 172 of Police Order 2002 to dismiss the private complaint filed against the police officials.

Section 172 reads the suits or prosecutions in respect of acts done under colour of duty not to be entertained if not instituted within the prescribed period.

The judge said prima facie the application filed by the complainant/PAT for delaying the decision on the acquittal pleas showed mala fide.

The judge adjourned the hearing till Saturday (today) for final arguments of the PAT’s counsel and observed that decision on the acquittal application would not be delayed.

At least 10 persons were killed and around 100 injured during an ‘anti-encroachment’ operation outside the Model Town residence of PAT chief Dr Tahirul Qadri on June 17, 2014. Jawad Hamid of PAT had filed the private complaint before the trial court.