Lahore: A Pakistani court on Saturday ordered framing of murder charges against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, his brother and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz and 19 others over the killing of 14 supporters of Allama Tahirul Qadris in Lahore last month.
The Lahore Sessions Court hearing the case related to the Model Town clashes ordered police to register a case against 21 persons named by the Pakistan Awami Tahreek (PAT) in its complaint.
Fourteen PAT supporters, including two women, were killed and over 100 were wounded in police firing on June 17 after the authorities attempted to remove barricades near the PAT chiefs headquarters.
The courts decision comes at the time when Qadri, also the chief of PAT, and Pakistan Tahreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan are rallying in Islamabad with thousands of their supporters to topple the Nawaz-led PML-N government.
Both leaders have vowed to not leave the capital until Nawaz Sharif resigns and fresh elections are called.
On Saturday Additional Sessions Judge Raja Ajmal ordered police to register murder cases against Nawaz, his brother Shahbaz, his nephew Hamza Shahbaz, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and others.
Earlier, a one-man judicial commission appointed by Shahbaz Sharif government to probe the incident in its report had reportedly held provincial departments responsible for the incident.
Qadri had rejected the commission, saying an independent probe into the incident will take place once the Sharif brothers are out of power.
The incident was condemned by the Opposition, who described the government action as a fascist act.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sharif has discussed the matter with his brother Shahbaz at their Jati Umera Raiwind Lahore residence.
Follow this link to join our WhatsApp group: Join Now
Be Part of Quality Journalism |
Quality journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce and despite all the hardships we still do it. Our reporters and editors are working overtime in Kashmir and beyond to cover what you care about, break big stories, and expose injustices that can change lives. Today more people are reading Kashmir Observer than ever, but only a handful are paying while advertising revenues are falling fast. |
| ACT NOW |
| MONTHLY | Rs 100 |  |
| YEARLY | Rs 1000 | |
| LIFETIME | Rs 10000 | |
