Lahore: Five killed in four police ‘encounters’ in three days

[Naveed Yaseen]

* Young complainant mistaken for a terrorist killed by police

By Rana Tanveer

LAHORE: The Police Department seems to be defying its superiors, with five people killed in four ‘encounters’ in the week, despite the Punjab Police inspector general’s (IG) instructions to remain ‘polite’.

On June 9, the IG had directed police officers to observe the principle of “Pehle Salaam, Phir Kalaam” (first greet, then talk). He also directed the police officers to reassure the people that checking and other security measures are for the citizens’ benefit, and that the people should cooperate with the police. However, the implementation of the ‘talk first’ mantra can be judged from the killing of Zeeshan, a bank employee, who was shot by the Sattu Katla Police on June 10 in broad daylight. The police killed Zeeshan after mistaking him for a terrorist. He was approaching the police station for registering the complaint of an accident. The police were forced to register a first information report (FIR) against the policemen involved after Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif ordered a judicial inquiry into the killing and the Lahore High Court took suo motu notice of the incident.

A day before the incident, on June 9, the Cantt CIA police killed two alleged robbers, including an Afghan who they said was wanted in a number of murder and robbery cases. The victims were identified as Naimatullah, an Afghan, and Kamran Butt, a resident of Karachi. The police claimed recovering a Kalashnikov, a 30-bore pistol, a mobile phone and bullet rounds from them. It also said that a third ‘robber’ succeeded in fleeing the scene and could not be identified. On June 10, another ‘encounter’ was also staged, with CIA Kotwali Police claiming to have killed two alleged dacoits, who bore head money of Rs 0.3 million each, in Shahdara Town. The police claimed that four ‘robbers’ on two motorcycles were signalled to stop at a police picket near Jahangir’s Tomb. The police said the ‘criminals’ ignored the signal and opened fire on the police, who retaliated and killed two of the ‘robbers’. The other two managed to escape. The police identified the ‘robbers’ as Muhammad Umar and Mani. Reportedly, the accused had already been in police custody.

On June 11, under-trial prisoners took two policemen hostage in a prison van after snatching their official rifles at Ferozwala Courts in the Shahdara Police precincts. The accused reportedly managed to have two grenades, two pistols, bullets and grinded chillies in the van. They released the hostages after negotiations with the Sheikhupura district police officer. The prisoners also injured a police official. Some of the prisoners also were injured.

Two men committed patricide on two consecutive days. On June 8, Dr Imran Ahmed allegedly gunned down his father, Prof Dr Zulfiqar Ahmed over a property dispute. A 20-year-old boy, Ibrar Hussain, shot his 50-year-old father Gulzar Ahmad with his licensed rifle and committed suicide on June 9.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp...009_pg7_24