RECORDER REPORT

LAHORE: The Punjab government through an Intra Court Appeal has challenged the decision of releasing the inquiry report into the Model Town killings incident before Lahore High Court (LHC) here on Saturday.

A division bench comprising Justice Abdul Sami Khan and Justice Syed Shahbaz Ali Rizvi would take up the ICA on September 25 (Monday).

A single bench comprising Justice Syed Mazhar Ali Akbar Naqvi on September 21 had directed the home secretary Punjab to provide a copy of the inquiry report to the families of those who were either killed or injured in the incident.

The government in its appeal has questioned the jurisdiction of the single bench saying that eight identical petitions on the same matter were already pending before a full bench of the LHC. The appeal said the government had neither been asked by the single bench to file any reply or any written statement.

The role of such a tribunal was not to reach conclusions recording civil or criminal liability of any person, it added. The appeal maintained that the government was not required under the law to pronounce the findings of the commission. The government prayed the court to accept the ICA and set aside the impugned order of the single judge.