LAHORE: Thanking the judiciary for giving the verdict to make Justice Baqar Najafi report on Model Town killings public, Pakistan Awami Tehrik (PAT) chief Tahirul Qadri on Tuesday claimed that the decision has created “further legal basis for justice for the poor, helpless and downtrodden victims.”

Addressing a post-judgment press conference, Qadri threatened to hold an indefinite but “peaceful” dharna, which he himself would lead, in front of the Civil Secretariat from Wednesday morning if the Punjab government did not share with the party the Baqar Najafi Commission Report right away.

Flanked by his legal team, the PAT chief also dragged former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in the fray. “Both Nawaz Sharif and Shehbaz Sharif would soon be behind the bars.” He said it was not possible for the chief minister to act without knowledge and permission of the (then) prime minister. “So, he (Nawaz) is responsible as well,” Qadri alleged.

The PAT chief lamented the fact that it took the party over 40 months to reach one mile-stone in its long journey to justice, also explaining the reason of the delay.

“The PAT did not expect justice as long as the Sharifs were in power. So, it used delaying tactics to wait for an opportune time – till the Sharifs hold on power weakens and circumstances allow law to take its due course. The strategy was based on my conviction that the Sharifs would go sooner rather than late.”

Throwing light on the background of the report and case proceedings, he said it had been a one-sided affair.

“The Pakistan Awami Tehreek boycotted the proceedings, whereas the chief minister, the law minister, police and Punjab government officials concerned recorded their statements. The PAT stuck to its principled stand that the CM should resign and an independent JIT, comprising police officials from other provinces, be formed. So, the entire report is without the PAT’s side of the story. Then why is the government afraid of making it public? Only because the report has pointed finger at the CM – the entire planning and execution of the operation was done by the Punjab government, not police officials on the spot. That is precisely why the chief minister is afraid of making it public.

The party wanted a commission headed by the Supreme Court of Pakistan – on the same pattern as was made for a journalist (Hamid Mir). He said the journalist, though important, was only injured but a commission headed by the Supreme Court judge was created. “In model town massacre, 14 were killed and 90 injured. So, the PAT wanted a commission headed by the Supreme Court judge. But the Punjab created this one-man commission and then went ahead with proceedings. Why be afraid of its findings now?” Qadri wondered.

He also invited all other parties (PPP, PML-Q, JI and PTI) to his possible sit-in, saying, “All the parties which have struggled with us for justice, should join us. The venue of the sit-in is Civil Secretariat, because the report is lying there,” he said. He also ordered preparation of his container for the sit-in.

Published in Dawn, December 6th, 2017