LAHORE: The single-judge Model Town inquiry tribunal on Tuesday turned down a lawyer’s request to put the names of Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, former law minister Rana Sanaullah, chief minister’s former principal secretary Dr Tauqir Shah and others on the Exit Control List (ECL).

Justice Ali Baqar Najafi observed that it was not appropriate to order inclusion of certain persons in the ECL as there was a proper forum available. “Needless to say that the law of the land is equal for all whose ignorance is obviously not an excuse,” the judge further observed while dismissing the plea of Advocate Aftab Ahmad Bajwa.

The lawyer also produced two independent witnesses to the June 17 incident before the tribunal. Naghmana Yasin, a resident of Model Town, told the tribunal that she witnessed a policeman shooting an injured woman on her face inside the building of Minhajul Quran. She vowed to narrate the whole story on oath.

Another resident, Muhammad Arshad, told the tribunal that he was witness to the whole episode.

The tribunal directed both the witnesses to submit their duly sworn affidavits to further proceed in the matter.

Advocate Bajwa stated that certain persons willing to appear as witness were being threatened. The tribunal asked the lawyer to give names of such witnesses and the persons who were advancing threats to them through information either in the open court or in the chamber.

Justice Najafi observed that the tribunal would ensure protection of the witnesses. He directed a Joint Investigation Team, constituted by the government, to submit its interim report before the tribunal on July 3.

Meanwhile, Additional IGP (R&D) Altaf Hussain submitted an interim report on behalf of the IGP which was made part of the record. Four CDs having footages of the incident were submitted by DawnTV.

The tribunal directed the health secretary to present medical record of 23 injured persons who were admitted to clinical departments of Jinnah Hospital.

Earlier, Dr Sajjad Karamat and Dr Anwar Mumtaz of Forensic Medicine Service, Services Hospital, recorded their statements.

The tribunal will resume hearing at 2pm on Wednesday (today).

Published in Dawn, July 2nd, 2014