LAHORE: The Lahore High Court Chief Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan on Monday declined to hear Advocate General Punjab (AGP) in a petition challenging the formation of a new joint investigation team to investigate the Model Town 2014 killings and asked him to submit a written permission of chief minister to represent the Punjab government in the case.

"Bring a written permission or we summon the chief minister to know his will, Justice Qasim said and adjourned the matter to be fixed by registrar's office. Heading a seven-member larger bench the Chief Justice was referring to a last year controversy when a three-member bench had issued a notice to AGP over his 'misconduct' during the announcement of a stay order against a new JIT. Later, the Punjab Chief Minister, Usman Buzdar, had appeared before the court and stated that AGP Ahmad Awais had tendered his resignation and assured the court that a new lawyer would represent the Punjab government.

Ahmed Awais told the court that he had resigned and now his appointment had been made afresh and contempt notice against him had become a past and closed transaction. He maintained that the court's April 11, 2019 order could not be enforced.

Disagreeing with him, the bench held an order relating to contempt proceedings could be implemented after his reappearance in the case.

The court, however, insisted that it would not allow him to advance his arguments unless he furnished a written permission from the chief minister.

Khurram Rafiq and other police officials facing trial in the Model Town case had challenged the legitimacy of the second JIT. Through an interim order, the bench had suspended the JIT formed by the PTI-led government in the province.

At least 14 people were killed and 100 others injured when police opened fire to disperse protesting activists of Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) during an 'anti-encroachment' operation outside the residence of its chairman Dr Tahirul Qadri.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020