LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court on Friday expressed dismay over non-appearance of the suspects in the Model Town incident’s trial and directed the deputy inspector general (DIG) operations to produce them on Saturday (today).

Presiding Judge Ijaz Buttar also summoned Lahore Capital City Police Officer Umar Sheikh if the police failed to ensure appearance of the suspects.

Former inspector general of police Mushtaq Ahmad Sukhera, former DIG (operations) Rana Abdul Jabbar and other police officials had been indicted in the private complaint filed by Idara Minhajul Quran, a sister organisation of the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT).

However, Sukhera and several others had been granted exemption from personal appearance in the trial proceedings.

At least 14 people were killed and over 100 injured during an anti-encroachment operation outside the Model Town residence of PAT chief Dr Tahirul Qadri on June 17, 2014.

BAIL: An anti-terrorism court on Friday confirmed the interim pre-arrest bails of former National Assembly speaker Ayaz Sadiq, former provincial minister Khwaja Salman Rafiq and five others in a 2018 case registered against them on charges of resorting to violent protests when former prime minister Nawaz Sharif returned to the country to serve his sentence.

All the leaders appeared before the court along with their lawyers.

The court confirmed their bails and directed the police to establish its case in the trial proceedings.

The North Cantonment police station had registered the first information report under Section 7 of ATA and other provisions of the PPC.

On July 13, 2018, Mr Sharif along with his daughter Maryam Nawaz had landed at the Lahore airport where they were arrested and shifted to jail to serve sentences in accountability references.

Published in Dawn, December 19th, 2020