PESHAWAR, June 29: Holding police responsible for the murder of its chief Fahimur Rehman and his three associates, the Bazidkhel Qaumi Lashkar on Friday decided to move the court for seeking help in getting a murder case registered against some top Peshawar police bosses.

On the other hand, investigators are clueless about the two missing officials of the Anti-Terrorist Squad, who accompanied the lashkar leaders from Peshawar to Islamabad ‘on a mission’.

“We have been continuously contacting the missing policemen but their mobile numbers have not been responding since the murder of the four,” an investigation officer told Dawn.

Asif Khan, brother of Mr Rehman, blamed Peshawar SSP Tahir Ayub and DSP Shah Nawaz for the murder of his brother and others.

He said police had sent them on a mission with their guards but they were later found dead with the whereabouts of the said guards not known.

Mr Asif rejected the claims of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan and Lashkar-i-Islam, to have killed the lashkar leaders and said none of the peace body members was ready to buy the militant outfits’ version.

“Everyone knows very well that Taliban and Lashkar-i-Islam never kill their opponents. They rather separate behead opponents, dump their bodies by roads and pathways with warning notes, and distribute video clips among people,” he said. He said it seemed his brother had been killed while he was asleep.

Mr Asif said he would decide about the next line of action in a meeting of area elders but he was sure that a murder case would be registered against the culpable police.

He said Mr Fahim had taken around Rs0.3 million and sophisticated weapons with him but nothing was found when his body was recovered. A member of the lashkar said the peace body would continue anti-militant activities without seeking help of law-enforcement agencies.

“We will never trust police unless they take the sought-after steps to our satisfaction,” he said.

When contacted, DSP Shah Nawaz denied role in the four killings and said he had no relations with the lashkar people.

“I am the in charge of the Anti-Terrorist Squad and have to follow the directives of my bosses,” he said, and added that he had send two ATS officials, sub-inspector Javaid Akhtar and assistant sub-inspector Mohammad Gul with the lashkar leaders as guards on the orders of the Peshawar SSP (operations).

He said relatives of the missing policemen were contacting the relevant officers but their cellphones had been found switched off since June 25.

SSP Tahir Ayub told Dawn that he was hopeful that after return of the policemen, things about the killings would be clear.

“I have done nothing wrong. The lashkar people voiced doubts after police guards went missing,” he said, adding that they had gone on a mission to Islamabad and wanted to go to Murree.

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