LAHORE: Not winning justice during the rule of the “killers” was quite understandable, but why is the door of justice not opening on the victims of the Model Town case in the rule Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, wondered Tahirul Qadri, supremo of Tehreek-i-Minhajul Quran.

Addressing various protest rallies in Lahore and other cities across the country to mark the 7th anniversary of the Model Town tragedy on Thursday, he said Prime Minister Imran Khan was sitting with me during press conferences and siding with me in protest rallies to seek justice for heirs of the Model Town.

“Why are the victim families running from pillar to post under his (Khan’s) government in the hope of getting justice?” he asked.

Dr Qadri said Nawaz Sharif and Shehbaz Sharif, who had killed innocent workers for the sake of their power met their terrible destiny as the former was in exile perhaps for life and the other was living as an under-trial accused.

In Lahore, the rally at the press club was led by Khurram Nawaz Gandapur, where the participants were carrying banners-cum-placards inscribed with their demands of reinstating the JIT and quashing FIRs.

Mr Gandapur wondered what was keeping the justice elusive for the seven long years for the victims. He said the directives issued by the Supreme Court to the subordinate judiciary for expedited hearing of the cases were never implemented.

He said one kind of oppression had been faced by the workers on June 17, 2014, and another kind was being faced in the form of long-delayed justice.

Meanwhile, protest rallies were also taken out in Karachi, Islamabad, Peshawar, Quetta and many other cities throughout the country.

SACM: Special Assistant to Chief Minister on Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan says the investigation process is weak but the government is trying to bring the perpetrators of the Model Town tragedy to justice and punish the culprits through courts.

Speaking to the media on Thursday, Dr Awan said the PML-N was responsible for the Model Town tragedy.

Dr Awan said the petrol prices were increased in the wake of the international scenario.

Published in Dawn, June 18th, 2021