Rao Anwars of Punjab safe, names not placed on ECL: PAT chief

F.P. Report

LAHORE: Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) Chairman Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri on Sunday said that dozens of Rao Anwars in Punjab continue to operate and oppress citizens.

“There are dozens of Rao Anwars in Lahore who are openly operating and we strongly demand their arrest,” Qadri said while addressing a press conference in Lahore.

He was referring to the suspended Malir SSP Rao Anwar who is on the run after an investigative committee was formed to probe into the extrajudicial killing of Naqeebullah Mehsud in Karachi.

“The state cannot be allowed to killed citizens,” he said. “And were the victims of the Model Town incident on June 17, 2014 not citizens?”

The PAT chief claimed that the Lahore police were tasked to kill innocent people in the Model Town incident and they accomplished it.

“Justice Baqir Najfi’s report has established that not even one worker of PAT opened fire, not even in self-defence,” said Qadri.

He implored the apex court to take notice of the irregularities and corruption in the Punjab police department.

“The Supreme Court is constitutionally bound to pay attention to the Rao Anwars of Lahore the same way that it is doing in other provinces,” he said, adding that the judiciary has to play its part when the administrative authorities fail to deliver.

“The Senate chairman himself has said that Parliament has failed to fulfil its duties, he said. “He has even admitted to having failed to deliver his duties as the chairman of the upper house. So at a time when the administration and parliament have failed, the judiciary has to play its part.”

He stressed that the ‘system needs to be fixed.’

Qadri said that the entire world is looking to the judiciary to serve justice to model town victims.

“I know Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar in three ways: as a humanist, as a good lawyer, and as the country’s chief justice,” he said. “You know how the law is being manoeuvred by the affluent to oppress the common man…victims of the Model Town incident are calling you.”