Pakistani authorities have opened an investigation into the police killing of four people, including a woman and a child, in an encounter with a suspected militant leader that has drawn accusations from the public of police brutality.
Police Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) officers said a local Islamic State leader in Punjab province, Zeeshan Javed, was killed when police fired on a car he was travelling in on Saturday, in the town of Sahiwal.
Three passengers – grocery store owner Mohamed Khaleel, his wife and their 12-year-old daughter – were also killed, police said.
Police said that Javed fired on officers first and weapons were found in the vehicle.
That account has been disputed by witnesses, including Khaleel’s other three children who survived with minor wounds.
The killings in the Sahiwal “encounter” triggered protests on Sunday in Lahore, Pakistan’s second biggest city, and renewed a debate over extra-judicial killings and police impunity in the South Asian nation where such “encounters” are not uncommon.
Prime Minister Imran Khan said he was “shocked at seeing the traumatised children who saw their parents shot before their eyes”, and promised the state would care for the survivors.
“The grief & anger ... is understandable & justified,” Khan tweeted yesterday, referring to the public outrage.
He said that anyone found guilty would be handed “exemplary punishment”.
“I will review the entire structure of Punjab police & start process of reforming it,” he wrote.
“The police officers involved in the shooting have not been identified. The JIT will identify those involved,” said Nabeela Ghanzafar, a police spokeswoman, referring to the joint investigation team.
Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar, speaking to the media outside the Punjab Assembly, said that the JIT would present its report today.
“I was in Mianwali when I was informed about the Sahiwal incident,” he said. “A high-level JIT is probing the incident and will submit its report by 5pm tomorrow (today),” he said yesterday.
“We have announced to give Rs20mn to the affected family,” the provincial chief minister said, while adding that a meeting has been summoned at 5pm today.
Buzdar stressed: “I cannot hang anyone and action will be taken after the inquiry report is submitted. I will take action and show you.”
Officials said that Javed was an operative of the Islamic State (IS) militant group, known locally as Daesh.
Punjab Law Minister Raja Basharat told reporters on Sunday that a “large quantity of explosives” were found at Javed’s home and “two suicide vests, eight hand grenades, two pistols and bullets” were recovered from the car.
He said that officers from the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) intercepted the car after a tip-off, and Javed fired first.
However, videos circulating on social media appear to raise doubts about that.
The JIT have visited the site of the incident and summoned eyewitnesses to record their statements.
Eyewitnesses were asked to appear at Police Lines to record their statements, but they demanded that their statements be recorded at the site of the incident.
On the refusal of the eyewitnesses to visit Police Lines, the JIT members left the site of the incident.
“The JIT under AIG Aijaz Shah’s supervision is investigating from different angles,” sources said, adding: “Other than probing officials of the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) who are under custody, the JIT has also obtained information from CTD Additional Inspector General Rai Tahir.”
“A report submitted to the Punjab government by the CTD has also been made part of the investigation,” sources added.
Khaleel’s brother, Jaleel, confirmed to Reuters that the Punjab government had offered Rs20mn ($144,000) compensation for the killings.
“I told the government ‘I’m ready to give you back Rs25mn in return for justice’,” he said. “We don’t want money.”
Earlier, Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari took to Twitter and said: “From Rao Anwar to the Sahiwal incident – as part of the government it is our duty to end decades of tolerance for killings through ‘encounters’.
“What was tolerated, even encouraged by previous governments/state, must end now as we strengthen rule of law and accountability for all.”
