Policemen detain a supporter of PAT chief Tahirul Qadri during the Model Town incident in Lahore on June 17, 2014. ? Reuters

LAHORE: Justice Baqir Najfi commission, while terming the June 2014 tragedy in Lahore's Model Town as "most unfortunate incident" in the country's history, said that police tried to cover up facts as to who gave orders to open fire on protesters, according to the commission report issued Tuesday.

The Government of Punjab, following orders by the Lahore High Court, on Tuesday issued the Justice Baqir Najfi commission report on Model Town incident.

The incident in June 2014 had claimed lives of at least 14 people and left over 100 others during an 'anti-encroachment operation' by the police outside Idara Minhajul Quran in Lahore's Model Town.

The report says that Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Tahirul Qadri announced a long march from Rawalpindi to Lahore on June 23, 2014. Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah said they would not let Qadri achieve his objectives.

It mentions the Lahore commissioner presented a report pertaining to illegal measures of barriers placement and encroachments around Minhajul Quran Secretariat in Lahore to the commission.

Authorities decided immediate action for removal of encroachments at a meeting, it mentions. The meeting was attended by Secretary to CM Dr Tauqeer Shah, instead of Punjab CM Shehbaz Sharif.

Dr Tauqeer Shah expressed consent over removal of barriers [around Minhajul Quran Secretariat], while a legal opinion regarding the operation was not sought from the Punjab advocate general, the commission said in the report.

It says the participants of the meeting were aware of the Lahore High Court verdict in 2011. The report terms the Model Town tragedy an 'unfortunate incident' in the history of Pakistan.

The commission further mentioned in its report that the Punjab CM submitted an affidavit stating that he came to know of the incident in the morning of June 17.

CM Shehbaz telephoned his secretary, Tauqeer Shah, and ordered immediate withdrawal of police from the scene, the report says. Shah said the orders for withdrawal of police were given by the law minister and home secretary.

The report released Tuesday states that staff of Town Municipal Administration (TMA) Gulberg reached Minhajul Quran Secretariat on June 16 for clearing encroachments.

It also says the tribunal was not given complete powers in order to reach the core of the incident and that no one is ready to speak as to on whose orders police opened fire.

The report describes Model Town tragedy as worst incident of the country's history. Police demonstrated non-seriousness towards unarmed individuals.

It would not be wrong to say that efforts were made to conceal the truth by now empowering the tribunal completely, it mentions.

All those named, including Shehbaz Sharif, are not innocent with regard to tragedy. Police tried to cover up as to who gave orders for shooting, the report says.

The commission recommended that police must not order opening the fire in future without orders by a magistrate.

Below is complete inquiry report of the Model Town incident: