September 20, 2008	Saturday	Ramazan 19, 1429

SAHIWAL, Sept 19: Police have officially informed the media that two men killed in an encounter in 51/5-L village in Yousafwala police precincts on Sunday were absconders and wanted for cases registered against them in Okara and Rahim Yar Khan districts.

However, no details of the cases were given in a handout issued by the office of the assistant superintendent of police early this week.

The handout says Sahiwal district’s Yousafwala police and Okara district’s Shabhor police began an operation to arrest ‘proclaimed offenders’ Zakir Husain and Ashiq Husain in 51/5-L village on a tip-off on Sept 13. The ‘criminals’ opened fire at the police team when they were asked to surrender. The police retaliated and an encounter ensued. As a result, three police officials were injured and both ‘criminals’ were killed in the crossfire that continued for an hour.

ASP Junaid Ahmad told the media at his office that Zakir was involved in the murder of head-constable Gul Nawaz in Okara in 2005.

When he was asked to give some details of the cases registered against Ashiq, the ASP said he was not wanted to Okara or Sahiwal police. On the contrary, the handout issued by the ASP’s office reads: “Dozens of criminal cases are registered against the absconders, record of which is now being collected.”

According to the locals, Ashiq had a contact with Zakir and was with him on the day of encounter. They said the police used teargas before both sides opened fire. The house raided by police belongs to Sughran, who is said to be Zakir’s cousin.

However, eyewitness Sarwar Khan told Dawn that Ashiq had surrendered to the police and was empty handed when he came out of the house. Village representative Awais Ali Baloch endorsed this account. “This was witnessed by many villagers,” he said.

Operation in-charge Yousafwala SHO Naveed Kiani said Ashiq was wanted to Rahim Yar Khan district’s Khanpur Sadar police.

When Dawn contacted Khanpur Sadar police, it was informed that Ashiq Husain, son of Rasool and resident of Mirpur village, was wanted to the police over a robbery. But the locals say the man killed in the encounter is Ashiq Husain, son of Muhammad Bashir.

Aside from the confusion relating to the father’s name, Dawn has learnt that no police official from Rahim Yar Khan district took part in the encounter, although the police claimed that Ashiq was wanted to Rahim Yar Khan police. Secondly, the police killed Ashiq without having any cases on record against him. The police itself says it is now collecting record against Ashiq.

However, Ashiq’s family took his body to Rahim Yar Khan for his burial that gave rise to the suspicion that he might be the man the police were looking for.