DIG Rana Abdul Jabbar grilled in anti-terrorism court for five hours

DIG Rana Abdul Jabbar was cross-examined for five hours in the anti-terrorism court in connection with the Model Town case. He denied being present on the crime scene on June 17, 2014. On this, Makhdoom Majeed Hussain Shah, the head of the legal team of the martyrs’ families presented video proof in the court which showed the DIG standing at the central gate of Qasr-e-Behbood, a government building near residence of Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri Qadri wherein he was could be seen passing instructions to the heavily armed police party. Another footage showed Rana Abdul Jabbar standing near a building of Minhaj TV close to the central secretariat. These video proofs rejected the statement of the DIG wherein he said he was not present on the crime scene on the day when Model Town tragedy took place.

When his lie was caught red-handed, Rana Abdul Jabbar was drenched in sweat and asked for water repeatedly. While replying to the questions of the lead lawyer of the legal team of the families of the martyrs, he would stutter in his speech. At the denial of his presence on the scene of occurrence of tragedy, Makhdoom Majeed Hussain Shah Advocate said that he is sorry to see a senior police officer lying through his nose. He said that apprising facts to the court is responsibility of the contesting lawyers and the witnesses for provision of justice. He said that he would not ask Rana Abdul Jabbar any more questions to expose inaccuracies in his stance so that he should not be seen as the hardened liar in the court.

In reply to a question, DIG Abdul Jabbar said that his caste is Rana and he belongs to Faisalabad. The fact remains that former Law Minister Punjab Rana Sanaullah is also Rana by case and belongs to Faisalabad. The lead lawyer of the families of the martyrs asked the DIG if he received a call from Minister Rana Mashhood on June 17 but the person on the line was Rana Sanaullah. Carrying the cross-examination forward, Makhdoom Majeed Hussain Shah stated that then IGP Khan Baig and DCO Lahore were transferred a day before the Model Town tragedy because they refused to implement the plan for Model Town carnage. Upon their refusal, Mushtaq Sukhera and Capt. (r ) Usman were brought in overnight as IGP and DCO Lahore respectively

In reply to another question, Rana Abdul Jabbar said that he was working as SSP in Lahore before June 17. There were four DIGs in Lahore at that time and he was appointed as acting DIG. He admitted in the court that he held negotiations with Chief Security Officer of Minhaj-ul-Quran Secretariat Sayyid Altaf Hussain Shah regarding removal of barriers. The lead lawyer Makhdoom Majeed asked the DIG whether he knows that the main allegation of the heirs of the martyrs against him is that on his orders, gunman, Abid, shot at Tanzila Amjad who got martyred on the spot. At this, Rana Abdul Jabbar asked for water and remained quiet for a long time. At every question asked, the DIG would look towards his lawyers and wait for their gestures.

At one stage during the cross-examination, Makhdoom Majeed Hussain Shah Advocate asked the DIG whether he knew how to snap his fingers. On this, Rana Abdul Jabbar replied in the affirmative and demonstrated how to snap the fingers in the court. Taking the discussion forward, the lead lawyer asked him as to what special instructions he would pass on to the armed police men as he was seen snapping his fingers during the police brutality.

Makhdoom Majeed Hussain Shah Advocate further asked the DIG that 56 FIRs were registered against the PAT and the MQI workers at his behest. In reply to another question, Rana Abdul Jabbar told that he is not a witness in the FIR No. 510 which was registered on the complaint of SHO Faisal Town. At this, the lead lawyer asked him if he knew that he was conducting his cross-examination as a witness in the same FIR. Hearing it, Rana Abdul Jabbar asked for water and remained quiet for some time.

PAT lawyers, Naeem-ud-Din Chaudhry Advocate, Shakeel Mumka Advocate, Sardar Ghazanfar Hussain Advocate, and Muhammad Bilal Advocate were present in the court. The next hearing of the case will now be held on November 2.