LAHORE: Raising alarm bells for the Punjab government the Chief Justice ofPakistan Justice Mian Saqib Nisar has taken up the issue of the Model townkillings.

CJP took notice of delay in the provision of justice to the victims ofModel Town incident.

The top judge directed the Punjab government to explain the reasons anddetails pertaining to the delay in the provision of justice to the victims.

At least 14 people were killed and 100 others injured in police actionagainst PAT workers during an ‘anti-encroachment operation’ on June 17,2014.

The Punjab government, at the behest of the Lahore High Court, had made thereport of the Model Town incident public on December 5, 2017.

The inquiry report, prepared by Justice Baqir Najfi commission, said thatpolice tried to cover up the facts regarding who gave orders to open fireon protesters.

Bench under Justice Abid Aziz Sheikh reserved decision on the government’sappeal on a similar decision on November 24

It adds that no legal opinion was sought from the Punjab advocate generalprior to the start of the operation.

The commission, in its report, also stated that on the ground, the standoffcontinued the whole night, resulting in minor injuries to police constablesas well as PAT workers.

The commission observed: “The level of cooperation in digging out the truthis that no police official from top to bottom, whether activelyparticipated in the operation or not, did utter a single word about theperson under whose command the police resorted to firing upon the PATworkers.”

Further, in its conclusion, the commission said, “It is shocking to notethat everyone has deliberately but unsuccessfully tried to cover each otherfrom possible adverse legal effects.”