Model Town inquiry report presented to LHC judge

LAHORE: The judicial inquiry report of the Model Town incident was on Tuesday presented before the presiding judge of the Lahore High Court.

Lahore High Court continued hearing on the appeal filed by the government on the release of the inquiry report of the Model Town incident.

Justice Abid Aziz Sheikh led a three-member bench to hear the appeal. However, the judicial inquiry report set up to probe the incident was not presented despite court’s order as the government counsel was not present during the proceedings.

The court took notice of the counsel’s absence. A full bench immediately summoned the Home Secretary and ordered to present the full judicial inquiry report. Afterwards, a copy of the report was submitted in the chambers of the presiding judge.

The counsel for the Model Town incident’s victims said the report is a public document and should be declassified. He said the government under the Right to Information Act is bound to provide access to such information.

The counsel maintained that the government was itself accused in the Model Town incident, and thus does not to make the report public.

The state prosecutor said the matter was sub-judice and releasing the report at this moment will affect and jeopardise the trial. Therefore, the verdict of a single bench to release the report should be declared null and void.

The court instructed the victims’ counsel to continue his deliberations and adjourned further proceedings till November 16. An overview of the report will be held in the judge’s chambers.