Punjab govt's appeal against Model Town report referred to LHC full bench

Punjab govt's appeal against Model Town report referred to LHC full bench

LAHORE: A two-member division bench of the Lahore High Court has referred to a full bench the Punjab government’s intra-court appeal (ICA) against the single-bench decision ordering the release of the Model Town inquiry report.

Justice Abdul Sami Khan and Justice Syed Shahbaz Ali Rizvi heard the government's ICA on Monday.

On September 21, Justice Syed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi ordered the Punjab home secretary to make public the report, authored by Justice Baqar Najafi, on the Model Town killings and provide a copy to the families of those killed and injured in the 2014 incident.

Punjab govt files appeal against LHC order to release Model Town report

The government in its appeal against the decision, challenged the jurisdiction of the single bench to give its decision on the report, on the grounds that as many as eight identical petitions on the same matter were already pending before a full bench.

In the appeal, the government said it was neither asked by the single bench to file any reply nor was put on notice on the matter, adding that it was also not given any opportunity to explain its position on the case.

The full bench, headed by Justice Yawar Ali, the acting chief justice, will not take up the government's appeal.