PESHAWAR: Case registered against four policemen - Murder of boy in fake encounter
By Shafiq Ahmad
PESHAWAR, June 10: The city police registered a murder case against four policemen for killing a 17-year-old boy in a fake encounter.
The case was registered on the orders of the Peshawar High Court and after hectic efforts of the father of the victim who fought a long battle in courts for the purpose.
The Bhana Mari police station on Wednesday night registered the case against SHO Nasirbagh police station Abdul Malik, ASI Zar Wali and two constables Zahir Shah and Shahansha on the complaint of Misal Khan, a resident of Tehkal Payan, whose son was allegedly killed by them on May 15, 2002, in a fake police encounter.
However, none of these police officials was arrested so far. "SHO Abdul Malik and the other three police officials are still working on their positions," said a senior police official.
"We will conduct an enquiry first and then will decide about their fate," he added. Misal Khan in his FIR stated that Shah Wali was a friend of his son, Kashmir Khan. He further stated that Shah Wali took Rs25,000 loan from his son, Kashmir Khan, and was reluctant to pay it back.
He claimed that Shah Wali contacted the then SHO of Bhana Mari Police Station Abdul Malik through a head constable to settle the dispute. On May 15, Misal Khan said, his son again went to the house of Wali to get the money back, but Wali informed the police.
He further claimed that ASI Zar Wali and two constables Zahir Shah and Shahansha came to the house of Shah Wali and opened fire on his 17-year-old son Kashmir Khan in Landi Arbab locality on the order of SHO Abdul Malik.
Late, the three police officials, on the order of the SHO, brought his injured son to a nearby cemetery where they kept him until he expired, he said. However, the police in their FIR registered on the complaint of Wali claimed that they had killed a notorious Afghan outlaw, Kasim Wardak, during a robbery attempt.
The police kept the body of Kashmir Khan in the mortuary of the Khyber Medical College for three days. They handed over the body to the father on his identification.
Interestingly, the police high-ups at that time had awarded the police party with certificates for killing Kasim Wardak. After the incident, the government had ordered a judicial inquiry conducted by district and sessions judge Ziauddin Khattak and whose report revealed that Kashmir Khan was not killed in an encounter.
As the police were reluctant to register the FIR, Misal Khan filed a writ petition in the high court. On May 11, the high court accepted the petition and ordered the registration of the FIR.
A few days later, the petitioner filed a contempt of court petition and on Wednesday the high court ordered the SHO concerned to appear on June 16 and explain why the contempt of court proceedings should not be started against him.
