LAHORE: The joint investigation team constituted to probe into the Model Town incident took the station house officer of Sabzazar and eight personnel of the Elite Police Force into ‘custody’ for questioning on Thursday.

Eleven workers of Pakistan Awami Tehreek were killed and over 100 people were injured in the June 17 clash between police and PAT workers. Inspector Aamir Saleem, officer in charge Elite Sub-Inspector Rauf and seven constables, who were called to Robert’s Club – the Punjab Special Branch headquarters – for recording of their statements, were formally detained.

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The investigation team headed by Additional IG Special Branch Dr Arif Mushtaq and comprising officials of police, ISI, IB and MI is working to determine the planners and executors of the clash between police and workers of the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) on June 17 which left 11 PAT workers dead and over 100 people, including policemen, injured.

Eleven workers of Pakistan Awami Tehreek were killed and over 100 people injured in the June 17 clash between police and PAT workers

An informed source privy to the development told Dawn that Inspector Saleem and eight Elite personnel were called to get their statements recorded, but were taken into formal custody after the investigation team got sufficient evidence against them for being involved in the firing incident.

He claimed that Mr Saleem and Elite personnel were seen shooting at protesters in CCTV footage handed over to intelligence agencies by the PAT administration.

The source further said all officials were later got into a prisons van and taken to an unspecified place.

Punjab Police spokesperson Nabeela Ghazanfer confirmed the arrival of nine officials at the Roberts’s Club. She said the decision to either arrest or release the officials would be subject to their scrutiny by the investigation team.

Published in Dawn, July 11th, 2014