LAHORE  - Holding in-camera proceedings on the Model Town tragedy, the inquiry tribunal on Thursday again summoned former law minister Rana Sanaullah and former principal secretary to Chief Minister Dr Tauqir Shah for cross-examination on Friday (today).
Justice Ali Baqar Najfi, holding proceedings, also sought affidavit from Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on the incident of Model Town.
The tribunal accepted an application filed by the convener of the joint investigation team to provide written statements of the injured persons admitted to Jinnah Hospital in connection with the FIR registered at Faisal Town police station.
The police officials who were cross-examined by the tribunal included then SP Headquarters Maroof Safdar Wahla, then SP Operations Sadar Malik Awais, then SP CIA/Organised Crime Umar Virk, ex-Additional SP Operations Allama Iqbal Town Dr Farrukh Raza, then SP Investigation Model Town Muhammad Nadeem, then SP Mobile Abdur Raheem Sherazi, ex-SP Security Salman Ali Khan and former SP Model Town Tariq Aziz. The tribunal summoned more police officers on next hearing.
However, a number of lawyers objected to the in-camera proceedings held by the tribunal. They warned that they would boycott the tribunal if the proceedings were not held in an open court.
LHC SEEKS REPLY OVER MINHAJUL QURAN AUDIT
Justice Ijazul Ahsan of the Lahore High Court on Thursday sought reply from Federal Board of Revenue and Inland Revenue Department on a petition challenging audit notices issued to Idara Minhajul Quran in Model Town.
The judge placed this order on a petition filed by Minhajul Quran and adjourned further proceedings till September 10th. The judge also sought assistance of Attorney General on the matter.
Minhajul Quran’s administrator through his counsel said that they regularly filed his tax return and had his accounts audited. However, he said, after June 17 incident the FBR issued audit notices to petitioner-institution.
He said the notices were a result of political victimisation as audit of an educational institution was itself against the rules of FBR. The counsel asked the court to set aside the impugned notices issued by the FBR for being illegal.
Shift Iftikhar to Lahore
for treatment: LHC
The Lahore High Court on Thursday directed the Punjab government to shift Iftikhar Ahmed, who was repatriated from Afghanistan and presently detained in Sahiwal Jail, to Lahore for his better medical treatment. Justice Khalid Mahmood Khan issued this order while hearing a petition filed by wife of the detainee.
Sarah Bilal, counsel for the petitioner, told the judge that Iftikhar was suffering from severe mental illness since his detention in Bagram, and his condition had deteriorated after he was moved to Sahiwal Jail.
A law officer submitted medical reports confirming that Iftikhar was mentally ill, and said the detainee could be treated in Sahiwal Jail.
The counsel said the repatriation for Iftikhar has become a shuffle from one jail to another as he has been facing inhumane conditions in Sahiwal Jail even after his severe mental illness was an established fact.
The counsel requested the judge to issue orders for Iftikhar to be shifted to a reputable medical centre so that he could be properly examined, evaluated and treated for his mental illness.