LAHORE: Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Tahirul Qadri on Sunday reiterated his demand for suspension of the police officers from service who have been summoned by an anti-terrorism court (ATC) as accused in the Model Town case.

Addressing a press conference on the fourth anniversary of the incident (June 17), he said Article 10-A of the constitution provides justification of the police officers’ removal so that they could not use their official positions to influence the case.

After prayers for the departed souls, he told the media removal of the said police officers was a must for a fair trial.

“Apart from free and fair election, provision of justice to the victims is also constitutional responsibility of the interim government. The real killers of innocent (PAT) workers are the Sharifs and their cahoots. Once they are summoned by the anti-terrorism court, the case will be on the track. For the last four years, no one has questioned the Sharifs for the gory drama they played in Model Town despite undeniable proofs of their being mastermind of the incident have been produced before the courts. The media also brought proofs of them being slayers.”

Mr Qadri said various developments and events after the incident were enough to prove that whatever happened in Model Town was in accordance under the directions of the Sharifs.

He alleged that no official inquiry was conducted against the police officers directly involved in the killing of 14 innocent people. Instead, they were promoted, transferred to the lucrative posts, a few were made ambassadors and sent abroad, which proved that the killers were not only rewarded but they were protected as well, he added.

“All this was done by those who held offices of the prime minister and the chief minister. In pursuance of justice, PAT had struggled against the Sharifs for four years. The case is now moving because of steadfastness of the heirs of the victims of Model Town incident. The party and its leadership have not let blood of the workers go waste. They faced plethora of allegations and resisted temptations but stayed put. The killers will soon face justice.”

Mr Qadri claimed to be personally carrying out the struggle against the tyrant system for the last three decades.

“The current system generates corruption and protects the corrupt. With change of faces, nothing would change. For real change, the entire system of governance – police, government institutions and the bureaucracy – will have to be changed. All this need to be changed, and without electoral reforms and reorganisation of state institutions, the masses cannot get rid of this tyrant system,” he said.

Earlier, prayers were offered for the departed souls at the central Secretariat of Minhajul Quran in which the office-holders, workers and families of the martyrs participated.

Published in Dawn, June 19th, 2018