PESHAWAR: Three policemen were killed in an alleged encounter in Badukhel area in the outskirts of the city on Wednesday. A local resident was also killed and seven policemen and another resident were injured.

The deceased policemen were identified as Roman, Dost Mohammad and Rehmat Shah and the resident as Aslam Niaz. The injured were identified as Mohib Shah, Gul Ahmed, Israrullah, Mohammad Waqas, Nihar Ali, Bahadar and Imran.

The family of Mr Niaz and a Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) lawmaker from the area disputed the claim about encounter and accused police personnel of killing an ‘innocent’ man. The incident triggered hour-long protests by residents of the area.

Aslam Niaz, who was accused by police of having opened fire at its personnel, was killed in an exchange of fire while another civilian identified as Nazeefur Rehman suffered injuries.

The city police claim that the incident took place during a search operation. SSP Operations, Dr Mian Saeed, told Dawn that the policemen were shot at during the operation in Badukhel area. Two police personnel died on the spot. The attacker was killed when police fired back. He also accused relatives of the attacker of firing at the police party.

Talking to Dawn, Ehsanul Haq, a relative of Niaz, alleged that it was a case of homicide because the SHO of Umar police station had entered the house and shot Niaz who was sleeping.

Mr Haq said police had registered a case under Sections 506 and 34 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) against Mr Niaz on June 13 and he was on bail before arrest. He appeared before court on Aug 31 and the next hearing was scheduled for Sept 7, Mr Haq said.

He also denied that the family had opened fire, adding that Niaz’s father, Abbas Khan, had registered a case against SHO Ijaz Khan.

Tehreek-i-Insaf MPA and special assistant to the chief minister for environment, Ishtiaq Urmar, condemned the police action and said police officials had been asked to conduct a judicial inquiry.

The MPA said he had been informed that SHO Ijaz Khan had been suspended on a complaint lodged on Tuesday. He said that police personnel were killed at a place about 200 metres away from Niaz’s house and it was not clear who had attacked them.

According to the MPA, a large number of residents had taken part in the protest against the incident. “People usually do not protest killings of terrorists or anti-social elements,” he said. But Ehsanul Haq claimed Niaz was not the person on whose complaint the SHO had been suspended.

Sources claim that SHO Ijaz Khan had been suspended a day earlier after a corruption complaint had been lodged against him by a resident.

A statement issued by the CPO office said that the SHO had been suspended by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police chief on a complaint registered by a resident identified as Mohammad Aslam on Tuesday.

In the complaint, Mr Aslam accused the SHO of having locked him up, freeing him only after he had paid Rs15,000.

The IGP suspended the SHO and ordered an inquiry against him. Peshawar police chief Mubarak Zeb said he would look into reports of a raid carried out by the SHO.

Published in Dawn, September 3rd, 2015

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