February 08, 2008	Friday	Muharram 29, 1429

SUKKUR, Feb 7: An SHO allegedly involved in a fake encounter was promoted as Ghotki SPO on Thursday.

Khanpur SHO Mahar Aijaz Memon was allegedly involved in killing a local landlord in a fake encounter about 15 days ago.

Farmer Gul Hassan alias Babul of Nazar Ali Khan Gadani village in Khanpur Mahar area was going home when the SHO, who was on routine patrol with a police party, asked him to stop. When he did not stop, police opened fire, killing him on the spot, and later declared him a dacoit.

Sources said Atta Hussain Gadani, father of the victim, had filed a petition with the Ghotki district and sessions court stating that his son was a law-abiding citizen who had been killed in a fake encounter.

District and Sessions Judge Syed Irshad Ali Shah had on Wednesday ordered police to register a case against the SHO but the FIR had not been registered yet. The inspector-general of police, Sindh, promoted the SHO as DSP/SPO Ghotki, on Thursday.

When contacted, Mr Memon said he had moved the Sindh High Court’s Sukkur bench against the orders of the district and sessions court.