F.P. Report
LAHORE: Punjab Law Minister Raja Basharat on Tuesday, while terming the Sahiwal encounter ‘100 percent correct’, said the initial investigation report had held the Counter Terrorism Department officials responsible for loss of innocent lives in Sahiwal.
Addressing a press conference after a meeting that was held to review the JIT’s preliminary report, the Provincial Law Minister said the Additional IGP of the CTD had immediately been removed from his post, while DIG CTD and the SSP, who led the Sahiwal encounter, were suspended. He also said that the DIG Sahiwal was also removed from the post.
He said five officers of the CTD would be produced before an anti-terrorism court and have been charged under Section 302 (PPC).
Raja Basharat said Punjab Govt has fulfilled its promise for speedy investigation of Sahiwal incident.
Raja Basharat said the head of the JIT had sought some time to complete the investigation to ascertain the facts about Zeeshan, alleged terrorist who was killed during the incident.
He also said that the CTD officials were held responsible for Khalil and his family’s murder. The Punjab Law Minister also informed that an in-camera briefing would be held tomorrow (Wednesday) to inform the media about facts.
The minister further informed that the details about the car used by Khalil’s family would be revealed tomorrow.
Earlier, the JIT probing the incident in which four people were killed had submitted its preliminary report to the Punjab government in the evening today. A high-level meeting headed by Chief Minister Usman Buzdar was held to review the report.
Punjab minister Abdul Aleem Khan, provincial law minister Raja Basharat, the chief secretary and additional chief secretary for home, Punjab Inspector General of Police Amjad Javed Saleemi as well top officials from relevant agencies attended the meeting. Additional Inspector General (AIG) Ijaz Hussain Shah, who headed the JIT, was in attendance as well.
Meanwhile, the Joint Investment Team visited the Qadirabad area of Sahiwal for the second day today. The Additional Inspector General, Police Establishment and the head of the Joint Investigation Team formed for probing the Sahiwal incident, Aijaz Shah has sought two more days from the Punjab government for filing an investigation report.
In a statement issued by him in Sahiwal, he said that six members of the JIT are detained and statements of eye whiteness have not so far completed. He said that as it is a very serious case which cannot be investigated in a short span of time.
“It is not even possible to submit an initial report right now. We will conduct investigations on scientific basis and determine what the truth is,” Mr Shah had said while speaking to the media after visiting the incident site and recording statements of eyewitnesses.
