PAT terms submission of challan in fake FIR as another act of terrorism

PAT Secretary General Khurram Nawaz Gandapur has reacted strongly to the submission of challan of the government’s FIR in anti-terrorism court today in Model Town incident. He said that submission of a unilateral challan of Model Town tragedy is yet another act of terrorism by the government, adding that we did not accept legality of fake FIR then nor do we accept this challan. He said what a pity it is that those who sprayed bullets on unarmed people are innocent and those who got killed and injured have been declared offenders. He termed this act as murder of justice and fair play. He asked why the government is forcing us to resort to clash by making us deviate from path of peace.

Khurram Nawaz Gandapur expressed these views while talking to media men at the party’s central office in Model Town on November 26. He said that both national and international TV channels broadcast live the police attack on PAT secretariat and its firing of live bullets at innocent people on June 17 and despite this evidence which speaks for itself, description of killer police as unknown gunmen and PAT leadership as guilty who were innocent and carried no arms in their hands is height of lawlessness. He said that submission of a challan against us in an anti-terrorism court is yet another act of terrorism perpetrated by the government after the one done on June 17 by police. He said that the government is a hurdle in the way of dispensation of justice and this challan is a glaring proof of this. He said that police fired 500 live bullets in broad day-light, martyred 14 people on the spot and injured 100 more in an act of open terrorism but no impartial investigation has even begun in the matter to date.

Throwing light on the background of Model Town tragedy, the PAT Secretary General said that he had detailed discussion with SP Model Town Tariq Aziz on the day of incident. He said that we told him that we were ready to resolve the issue of removal of barriers through talks. He said that we also showed him the order of the Lahore High Court and administrative order of police but the SP appeared restless and insistent on carrying out operation. He said that a member of Punjab Assembly informed the Speaker of the Assembly on a point of order regarding siege of MQI Secretariat and possible police terrorism in its morning session on June 10 a.m. On indication by the member of the Punjab Assembly, Rana Sanaullah, former law minister, left the Assembly saying that he would get back to the House with full information. He said that Rana Sana told a lie in the provincial assembly because he had already chaired a high-level meeting about Model Town operation one day ago. He said that it was about that time that police started firing and people started getting hit, adding that all of these incidents are part of record now.

Khurram Nawaz Gandapur said that challan presented in the court in the light of the government’s FIR is a proof of the fact that the government has ill will in its mind and is thoroughly ill-intentioned as it wants to hamper dispensation of justice. He said that it is for this reason that we have rejected the partisan Joint Investigation Team (JIT) because we do not expect to get any justice from it. He said that presentation of challan is a ploy to pressurize us, adding that the rulers should know it well that they would not be able to browbeat us into submission. He said that PAT, its leader Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri and workers would face the government’s brutality with even more courage as they did before. He said that revolution is our destination to which we are committed.