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Model Town: court orders case against Nawaz and Shahbaz
* Info minister says court has not ordered police to register FIR against PM and Punjab CM * Rana Sanaullah ready to leave for London
LAHORE/ISLAMABAD: A sessions court in Lahore on Saturday ordered police to register a murder case against 21 people, including the prime minister, Punjab chief minister and former law minister over Model Town tragedy. However, Federal Information Minister Pervaiz Rasheed rejected the reports, saying that the court ordered police to act as per law.The court issued its order under Clause 156 of the criminal proceedings. The court ordered Faisal Town police to register a case. As many as 14 people were killed and over 90 injured when the Pakistan Awami Tehreek workers and police clashed outside the Minhajul Quran Secretariat in Model Town, Lahore on June 17. The PAT workers had submitted an application with the police to file a first information report (FIR) against a total of 21 people, though the police had so far not filed any charges. According to a private TV channel, the court directed the Faisal Town station house officer (SHO) to register cases against the 21 nominees, which include PM Nawaz Sharif, Punjab CM Shahbaz Sharif, Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, former Punjab law minister Rana Sanaullah Khan, Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique, the Punjab inspector general and the Lahore police chief.Meanwhile, Pervaiz Rasheed said that the court has not issued any order to the police to register an FIR against the PM and the Punjab CM in Model Town case.In a statement, the minister clarified that the court while disposing of the Minhajul Quran application asked the police to deal with the matter as per law. This decision of the court does not mean that it has ordered to register case against anyone, he interpreted. The court also directed the police to register cases against the accused persons and ordered that a report should be presented before it after completion of the said. Earlier, a single-member commission formed to probe into the incident also submitted its report to the Lahore High Court and held provincial departments responsible for the incident. However, no department was specifically held responsible by the commission.Meanwhile, a spokesman of the Punjab government said that the commission has asked the government to fix the responsibility of the incident in the light of the report. Separately, following the court order, former provincial law minister Rana Sanaullah has made all preparations to go to London via Dubai. Sources told Online that Sanaullah has confirmed his ticket for London via Dubai. He will go to Dubai through Emirate Airlines EK-625 and from there he would go to London on August 18. According to the copy of ticket received on Saturday, the PNR number is G7TY7F.The close aides of former provincial law minister Rana Sanaullah Khan also confirmed that Sanaullah was going abroad. However, they claimed that the programme was already planned and has nothing to do with the court order in the Model Town tragedy. On the other hand, Rana Sanaullah Khan said that he was in the country and not going anywhere. He added there was no truth in him leaving the country. He said that the propaganda and rumours spread by opponents were totally baseless. The former Punjab law minister said that he was ready to face the situation.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk