Eleven years ago, in Model Town, Lahore, unarmed activists were drenched in blood, their bodies were thrown down, and women, children, the elderly, and young people were subjected to brutal violence.
For a continuous 12 hours, a bloodbath was unleashed. This was a cruelty that the entire nation witnessed through live coverage. Despite this, justice remains distant, and there has been no significant progress toward it.
On December 5, 2018, a full bench of the Supreme Court ordered the formation of an impartial Joint Investigation Team (JIT) for transparent investigations into the incident. This JIT recorded statements from 281 individuals within three months, investigated all relevant parties from both sides, and completed most of its work.
However, when the JIT was about to present its investigative report in the form of a charge sheet to the court, a stay order was issued by the Lahore High Court upon the request of one of the accused, a head constable, and the process of justice came to a halt. We appeared 56 times in the Lahore High Court in this case, the bench was dissolved 5 times, and the stay order remains intact to this day.
Our only question is: why are the roads leading to justice still blocked, even after 11 years? I appeal to our judiciary and the powerful institutions to allow the investigation and fair trial to proceed according to the law. Whatever decision the court makes, we will accept it.
On the 11th anniversary of this tragedy, I pray for the elevation of the ranks of the martyrs of Model Town and pay tribute to the witnesses, the families of the martyrs, and the responsible legal roles played by the lawyers in the pursuit of justice with steadfastness and resilience. The martyred activists were not just activists; they were my sons and daughters. The struggle for justice against the oppression they faced will continue until my last breath. If justice is not found in the courts of this world, there will be a court on the Day of Judgment, and InshaAllah, there will be complete justice there.
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