PAT sends invitation letters to political parties, human rights organizations for APC

PAT has issued invitations for the APC being held on March 28 at the central secretariat on the issue of Model Town tragedy and increasing corruption. The invitation letters have been sent to all political parties such as PTI, PPP, JI, MQM, ANP, MWM, Sunni Ittehad Council etc. except the ruling PML-N. Lawyers, human rights organizations, journalists’ associations, and senior columnists have also been extended the invitation.

A high level meeting was held yesterday with PAT Secretary General Khurram Nawaz Gandapur in the chair. The meeting reviewed the arrangements for the APC. The following is the complete text of invitation letter which has been sent to the political parties:

“As you know that the present government shed blood of innocent people through state agency police on the fateful day of June 17, 2014. 14 people were martyred and 85 were injured in the police shootout. Police, which is protector of people’s lives and properties, ransacked and damaged cars and properties under the patronage of Gullu Butt. Then the government that does not tire of blowing the trumpet of democracy, constitution and rule of law did not let the FIR of this heart-rending incident be registered. The FIR could only be registered after the passage of two months on the orders of the court and intervention of the Army Chief.

“Two years are about to be over but none of the accused nominated in the FIR by the heirs of martyrs has been called up for investigation. Contrarily, the workers and family members of martyrs who were witness to the incident were challaned on the official FIR and their trial as ‘killers’ is under in the antiterrorism court for last one year. The Punjab Chief Minister, in a press conference in the evening of June 17, established one-man judicial commission consisting of Justice Baqar Najfi to bring the facts of the Model Town tragedy to the fore. He stated categorically that ‘if the Commission made a hint at me, I will resign.’

“The report of the judicial commission held the Punjab government directly responsible for the Model Town tragedy but the report of the commission was withheld. The Punjab high-ups got the clean-chit through a JIT consisting of police loyalists. After the government’s barbarism, and murder of justice by the JIT, unilateral proceedings of the case are underway in the antiterrorism court. The trial in the court is manifestly in violation of Article 10-A of the Constitution and all the petitions filed by the PAT lawyers in this regard were summarily rejected.

“We have continued to stay on the legal course despite all the excesses of the government and filed a complaint on March 15, 2016. It has been maintained that the real accused who hold top positions should be called up for investigation, responsibility be fixed and punishment be meted out under the law. All those who played part in this human tragedy should be made an example of. The Constitution of Pakistan guarantees justice and protection to every citizen but the ruling clique is bulldozing the constitutional guarantee in case of the Model Town tragedy.

“If silence is kept on the issue of Model Town tragedy, then the power-drunk and corrupt rulers will continue to commit excesses for their vested political interests. We have always had your full support on the Model Town issue, for which we are extremely grateful to you. Your support is a source of stability, strength and courage for us. Let us stand together to seek justice for those wronged in the Model Town tragedy so that Pakistan could be rid of the oppressors once and for all. We would welcome your participation in the APC and will be grateful for your suggestions for curbing corruption and seeking justice.”