KARACHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the provincial police chief to appear in court in the case of SHO Ismail Lashari, who is being investigated for allegedly killing a 17-year-old boy in a fake encounter.

On a petition of Anwer Ali Soomro, the father of victim Anisur Rahman Soomro, the Sindh High Court had ordered the registration of an FIR against SHO Lashari and other police officials.

SHO Lashari assailed the SHC judgement through an appeal before the apex court submitting that he was not given a fair hearing by the high court.

Earlier on Feb 5, the apex court had ordered the police authorities to suspend two SHOs who were facing investigation for allegedly killing a man in a fake encounter, and restrain the police from posting them in the province without seeking a prior permission of the court.

The two SHOs along with other police officials were allegedly involved in the killing of 17-year-old Soomro in June 2014.

On Wednesday, a two-member bench of the apex court comprising Justices Amir Hani Muslim and Maqbool Baqar ordered the inspector general of police to appear in court on Thursday (today) when it would again take up the matter.

The DIG-Establishment appeared in court to inform the judges that SHO Lashari was appointed as assistant sub-inspector in the provincial police in 1990. He said that the police officer was placed under suspension several times and he was also reverted once.

Justice Hani asked the DIG as to how a police officer could remain in service with such a record. “He was even posted as SHO despite that poor record,” he said.

In response to a court query, the DIG said that the SHOs were posted by the AIG Legal on the recommendation of the respective police zone.

After the DIG’s submissions, the bench summoned the IGP to explain his position in this regard.

According to the victim’s father, Anis was a Class X student who was arrested along with his two friends by the Sachal police near Safoora Goth in Gulistan-i-Jauhar on June 12, 2014.

He informed the judges that he had repeatedly visited the police station to learn reasons for the arrest of his son and his friends. But SHO Lashari demanded Rs500,000 for his son’s release and later killed him in a fake encounter, because he was unable to pay the bribe, he said.

Mr Soomro had also filed a petition in the district and sessions court in Malir on June 20, 2014 against the illegal confinement of his son, informing the judge that the police had threatened to kill his son if he could not pay the bribe that they had demanded.

Following the hearing, an official raided the police station on the order of the district and sessions judge, but the young boy was not found there.

Mr Soomro said his son had been detained for 10 days at the Sachal police station before he was taken to a nearby Afghan refugee camp where he was killed on June 22, 2014.

He said his son had never been associated with any militant group, although the police had initially claimed to have killed four Taliban, including the victim.

The victim’s father also told the judges that the police officers booked in the murder case of his son were forcing him to withdraw the case.

According to Mr Soomro, his son worked at an electronics shop in Sachal Goth.

Published in Dawn, February 26th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play