Senate body seeks report on Sahiwal encounter

ISLAMABAD: Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Interior Rehman Malik Sunday took notice of an encounter in which three members of a family were killed and minor children got injured near Sahiwal.

Rehman Malik directed a thorough probe into the incident based on ground realities. The Senate committee chairman directed the Ministry of Interior to submit a comprehensive report with answers by the IG Police and home secretary Punjab.

The committee sought full details and profile of the deceased members of the family and details on whether any past criminal record, FIR or anything related to any criminal activity of the deceased individuals or their family existed or not.

The committee wanted probe as to what made the police to follow the family traveling in a small car and what was concrete evidence to consider the deceased as prime suspects.

The committee asked when the alleged suspects stopped the car on CTD Police direction, then why police opened the firing. It also sought full police version on the incident -- at what level such action was ordered -- was there any FIR wherein these deceased were ever summoned or interrogated. Is there any intelligence report on them if that should be placed on record?

The committee also sought profile and the service history of all the officials of CTD involved in the shootout and whether any of them belonged to the local area or had anyone had personal animosity of the deceased/or other members of the victim family?

Another question raised by the committee was that if it was a police encounter, then was it being supervised by senior police officers as per the laws? Pemra was also asked to provide entire footage of the incident as it is broadcast on electronic TV channels.

Rehman Malik said the tragic incident has happened on the main highway when the police firing could be seen by people around and eyewitness are available hence their statements must be made part of record.

Earlier, Rehman Malik telephoned Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar and expressed concern over the incident, saying it was highly tragic and condemnable and must be investigated thoroughly. Buzdar assured Rehman Malik of fair and thorough investigation into the incident.