E-Paper | June 18, 2026

Model Town tragedy: SP issued 'firing' orders, report reveals

Dawn.com Published July 11, 2014
comments
Whatsapp Channel
Add Dawn as a trusted source
Google Preferred Source

LAHORE: The initial report of the joint investigation team (JIT) constituted to investigate the Model Town tragedy revealed that Superintendent of Police (SP) Sulaiman had ordered elite force personnel to open fire on protesters, DawnNews reported.

In a statement recorded to the JIT, Elite Force in-charge Abdul Rauf said Sulaiman had ordered Elite Force personnel to target protesters on their legs.

After receiving the order from Sulaiman, Station House Officer (SHO) Sabzazar Sheikh Amir Saleem and other Elite Force personnel fired shots at demonstrators that resulted in several deaths.

In light of the statement recorded by Abdul Rauf, further investigation against Saleem and other Elite Force personnel is underway.

On Wednesday, the JIT took SHO Sabzazar and eight personnel of the Elite Police Force into ‘custody’ for questioning.

Also read: SHO among nine personnel held in Model Town case

At least eleven PAT workers were killed and over 100 people were injured in the June 17 clash between police and PAT workers in Lahore's Model Town.

Also read: Youth, women among seven killed in PAT supporters' clash with police

Our readers are at the heart of everything we do.
Do you have a thought to share or a way we can improve? We’d love to hear it. Reach out to us at feedback@dawn.com.
Pakistan

Read more

Israr Khan Ismailzai
Jul 11, 2014 02:23pm
And now the blame game starts, to protect the big fish.
Recommend 0
Dr. Qureshi
Jul 11, 2014 02:23pm
Shariffs turned out be be not so Shariffs!
Recommend 0
Mohammad Akhtar
Jul 11, 2014 02:28pm
Police and police command was not trained properly to deal this kind of situation. They should have used the tear gas or rubber proof bullets if the crowd violent but not firing 'em on the leg. May be some Police did not target the leg or they were not sharp shooter so they just open the fire. This only happens in Pakistan.
Recommend 0
Hassan
Jul 11, 2014 02:34pm
scape goat
Recommend 0
atif
Jul 11, 2014 02:36pm
this sp would get a big payment for his wafadari and will live happily ever after
Recommend 0
catzal
Jul 11, 2014 02:38pm
That's why China is establishing a rail link to send its goods to pakistan and other countries from gwadar seaport and pakistan will become singapore and can become rich by acting as a trade pitstop. Think about the chinese gameplan to make pakistan the richest country in Asia, any country that wants to trade with china has to transit through pakistan through gwadar seaport and vice versa. Indeed Future is changing for Pakistan and fast , it is going from being a failed state to a super state. So Pakistan doesn't need India anymore.
Recommend 0
ghuman
Jul 11, 2014 02:39pm
Poor Sp is going to be shabaz sharif scape goat now.both brothers will sarifice anyone and everyone to save themselves
Recommend 0
Haider
Jul 11, 2014 03:18pm
JIT in an Earlier report had said no bullets fired. Suddenly, this report, I am confused now.
Recommend 0
Raza Dost Chanesar
Jul 11, 2014 03:26pm
Conclusions are clear. Rana Sana Ullah and Khwaja Saad Sra did it and they should be hanged. Its very simple if we want Pakistan to respect rule of law.
Recommend 0
IKE
Jul 11, 2014 03:59pm
It reminds me the Z.A Bhutto and his Elite Federal Security Force (FSF). That FSF was created for political purposes and that is what it was used for. FSF did all the dirty work, kidnapping, killing and even had a gulag called Dali Camp, where it imprisoned political rivals. Now we have Elite Police Force. One can see that there is nothing Elite about this force. It has no skill set or tactic or training to deal with a politically charged environment. All it has is shear force. Its basic purpose is to mostly stand guard to Sharifs and their families. It is really a useless expenditure. Eventually, this Elite force will meet the same fate like that of Bhutto's FSF. Most of these men will end up in jail for committing crimes, like the model town.
Recommend 0
Mian Kashif Mumtaz
Jul 11, 2014 04:13pm
Shahbaz sharif is is trying to shift the responsibility by creating such scapegoat.
Recommend 0
venkataramana
Jul 11, 2014 04:20pm
@catzal No country needs another country unless it follows very wrong policies.Anyway,in the context of this article,India is not in the picture at all.
Recommend 0
nina
Jul 11, 2014 04:35pm
Why would a CM burn his own home, his city, his people when he is known for efficient administration for public welfare.
Recommend 0
Aftab Alam Khan
Jul 11, 2014 05:14pm
Order for targeting on legs of the protestors had claimed eleven lives and hundred injured.................is this not a case of resignation of concerned Chief Minister?
Recommend 0
Khan
Jul 11, 2014 05:26pm
And who ordered this SP to open fire and so on it will end up with the not so honorable now CM.
Recommend 0
True
Jul 11, 2014 05:47pm
@catzal what about Chinese policy of not allowing their muslim population specially young students not fast during Ramazn, why you Pakistani always depend on another country to help you become something do you have any brain to use ? Always your hands ready for hand out ???shame
Recommend 0
Maverick
Jul 11, 2014 06:30pm
Sick and tired of our people's negative and pessimistic thinking! The big reason for our current image in the world. We never ever are satisfied with anything. ALL WE CAN DO IS BLAME BLAME AND JUST BLAME ! GET A LIFE PEOPLE!!
Recommend 0
AKNasser
Jul 11, 2014 06:41pm
"Elite Police Force" to protect elite, that is what it does. . SHO is in no position to open fire - Elite force opened fire on the order of a senior officer. Lower rank is being made scapegoat to protect the higher ups.
Recommend 0
M aslam
Jul 11, 2014 07:07pm
JIT should investigate who appoint and promoted SP Sulaiman. It appears he has sympathies with Parvaiz Illahi and Shujaat Hussain- Sardar of Lottas. It was their requirement to produce dead bodies, so that their Inqalabi politices take ground to start. TUQ should also be very carefull for his life. These people can arrange for his murder and get the benefit of that.
Recommend 0
M aslam
Jul 11, 2014 07:09pm
@atif It is sure that he get big payment, but not from Shahbaz, rather from Shujjat and Parvaiz Illahi and Tahir. and provide them ground for agitation.
Recommend 0
M aslam
Jul 11, 2014 07:11pm
@Haider You are confused because you belong to confused leader. Did he tell them until now what is meaning of his Inqilab and what is way forward, except that he arrange to produce 16 dead bodies.
Recommend 0
Dr Haseeb Bhutta
Jul 11, 2014 09:23pm
No responsibility lies upon any sp or police constable......the sole responsibility lies upon shehbaz,sanaullah an IG pokice
Recommend 0
ahmed
Jul 11, 2014 09:27pm
@Mohammad Akhtar; This is an unfortunate situation but the fact is if the mob was attacking police, they by constitution have the right to retaliate forcibly. We need to make our Police Strong but they should become honest otherwise it will be a disaster.
Recommend 0
Sajjad king khan
Jul 12, 2014 01:29am
How can an sp take the whole account on his own accord ! No superiors in place ? So what next ?
Recommend 0
chnasir
Jul 12, 2014 05:29am
Then SP's, DIG etc must take responsibility towards the deceased and officially apologize and ask the SC to justify by receiving FIR's from MQI TUQ and compensate for the losses. It is absolutely appropriate to also blame others involved on ministry level. The truth must be revealed. Sharifs are not Kings & Knights of Pakistan, and must bow to the justice, as all other Paks.
Recommend 0

Most Popular

01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09

Latest Stories

Opinion

Editorial

Spoiler alert
17 Jun, 2026

Spoiler alert

AFTER the temporary peace deal between the US and Iran is physically signed in Geneva on Friday, an arduous process...
Storm-tested cities
17 Jun, 2026

Storm-tested cities

THE deaths caused by the latest spell of monsoon rains in KP and Punjab illustrate how quickly severe weather can...
Chakwal tragedy
17 Jun, 2026

Chakwal tragedy

A NINE-year-old girl is dead because a Punjab Crime Control Department gunman mistook her family’s car for a...
A new deal
Updated 16 Jun, 2026

A new deal

AFTER three and a half months of war between US-Israel and Iran and an acrimonious temporary ceasefire, a genuine...
Charter of economy
16 Jun, 2026

Charter of economy

NO one expected the PTI to accept the government’s invitation to sign a charter of economy; just as few expected...
Hostage seamen
16 Jun, 2026

Hostage seamen

SOME 50 days on, 11 Pakistani nationals are still in Somali pirates’ captivity. Their appeals to the Pakistani and...
Dawn News English Podcasts
Subscribe