SC orders trial court to hear Model Town case on daily basis
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LAHORE:The Supreme Court (SC) Saturday ordered Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC)-II Lahore Judge Ejaz Awan to hear the private complaint, filed by Idara Minhajul Quran in the Model Town incident on daily basis.
The court ordered the department concerned to withdraw other judicial work from ATC-2, adding that the same should either be transferred to other ATCs or a new court should be formed to deal with it.
The court also ordered the Lahore High Court (LHC) to decide the pending cases regarding Model Town incident within two weeks.
The court ordered Punjab Advocate General Shakilur Rehman to submit Justice Ali Baqar Najafi's report on the Model Town incident.
The bench comprising Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar and Justice Ijazul Ahsan passed the orders while disposing of a
suo motu notice over delay in decision of Model Town case, at the Supreme Court Lahore Registry.
As the proceedings began, Prosecutor General Punjab Ehtisham Qadir apprised the court about various developments
taking place in the matter. He submitted that the first FIR of the incident was registered in June 2014, and the matter was investigated by a joint investigation team (JIT). He submitted that the challan (charge-sheet) was submitted in the trial court whereas statements of 40 witnesses had been recorded in the matter so far.
He said that the second FIR of the incident was registered on the LHC directions, and it was also investigated by a JIT and its challan had also been submitted in the court.
However, he submitted that a private complaint was filed by Idara Minhajul Quran on March 15, 2016 after a delay of
one year and nine months. He said that the trial court had recorded cursory evidence of 57 witnesses so far in the matter.
In response to a court query, the prosecutor general submitted that now all these cases were pending before ATC-II, headed by Judge Ejaz Awan.
The chief justice observed that all judicial work would be withdrawn from the ATC-II except for Model Town case and
the judge would be ordered to hear the matter on daily basis for early disposal of the case. APP/AFP
