LAHORE: The Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) will hold protests across the country at the district level on Friday (today) in remembrance of the martyrs of Model Town tragedy and has directed the district organisations to arrange protests in front of press clubs.
Tehreek Minhaj-ulQuran Quaid Dr Muhammad Tahirul Qadri said eight years had gone by since the Model Town tragedy was perpetrated. He said that despite the passage of such a long time, the provision of justice did not seem to be in sight. He saidtheoppressedhadnot got the right to fair invesdgadon and they had been going from pillar to post for their rights. He said the accused were benefitting from the pending appeals.
Qadri said the Supreme Court larger bench ruled establishment of a new JIT to hold a fair and impartial inquiry but the Lahore High Court stayed the investigation on the petition of an accused police of ficial. He said the family members of the martyrs approached the Supreme Court against the stay, which asked theLahore High Court to give a decision on the formadon of the JIT in three months. He added that it had been two years since then but the issue remained pending even today. He said the people were looking toward judiciary for justice.
Secretary-General Khurram Nawaz Gandapur said the provision of justice to the aggrieved was the responsibility of the state and its institutions.
He said: `Our search for justice remains elusive, adding that the JIT completed its work but was not allowed to compile the report. He said the Supreme Court accepted the demand of victims on Dec 5, 2018 and ordered theconsutudonofthe JIT.
It asked Dr Qadri that since his major demand of the establishment of a new JIT had been accepted, he shouldfocus his attendon on the legal proceedings instead of the protest.
Gandapur said they had been following the legal process since then. `It is ourrequesttothehonourable judiciary, lawyers, media, human rights organisations and civil society that they should play their role in the provision of justice to the aggrieved families of the martyrs of Model Town tragedy.
