LAHORE: The Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) on Monday announced staging another rally to seek justice for the Model Town episode victims because the case had “stuck right where it had started”.

Explaining the reason for another protest at a press conference, the PAT leadership, including the party’s secretary general, Khurram Nawaz Gandapur, said the case was referred to the anti-terrorism court on Jan 24, 2015. After two years of hearing, the case was stuck right at the point where it started, they said.

“Institutions are too scared to move against the ruling Sharifs,” Mr Gandapur alleged, saying the party, however, was committed to seek justice for the victims, and the procession was aimed at doing the same.

The PAT chief, Allama Tahirul Qadri, will address the rally and announce the future course of action to seek justice.

“On the day of tragedy (June 17), one deputy inspector general (DIG), seven superintendents of police (SPs) and seventeen station house officers (SHOs) were present on the scene,” Mr Gandapur said. However, only one SP and one SHO were booked, he deplored.

The PAT leaders alleged that some of the accused had already been helped by the government in fleeing the country and the institutions were scared of proceeding with the case.

The PAT was thus left with no option but to take its case to the people, they added.

Published in Dawn January 24th, 2017