ISLAMABAD: Several Pakistan Air Force (PAF) officers, including from Air Intelligence, have been booked on the charge of murdering a group captain.

The Margalla police registered the case on the directions of the Islamabad High Court (IHC). The deceased’s wife, Tanzila Khan, accused several air force officers of involvement in the murder of her husband.

She lodged a complaint with the police about a year ago seeking the registration of a case but her request was not entertained.

Wife of deceased group captain alleges he was kidnapped, killed by colleagues a year ago

Police said she then approached the high court which issued the directives.

According to the FIR, group captain Rizwan Attique died on July 10. Prior to his death, the FIR alleged, he was abducted by Air Intelligence officers between May 3 and July 6.

Ms Khan alleged that her husband was first abducted on May 3 and released on May 7. He told his wife that he was physically and mentally abused before being dropped off at F-11/1.

She alleged that the officers were attempting to coerce him into giving a statement against a former deputy chief of air staff engineering.

On June 23, the FIR added, he was again taken into unofficial custody and escorted to an unknown location where they demanded he record the aforementioned statement. When he did not return home, Ms Khan called Rescue 15 and submitted an application with the Shalimar police station in F-10.

He later returned, and on July 6, 2017, left home in uniform at around 12pm.

The FIR said at 12:05pm a squadron leader came to their home and threatened the family with dire consequences after which Ms Khan called Rescue 15 and registered a complaint against him with the police.

The same day, Attique contacted Ms Khan and told her he had been taken for an official inquiry to the officer’s mess in E-9.

On July 9, Attique told Ms Khan on phone that he had not yet received an official charge-sheet and was not aware of why he was taken into custody.

On July 10, she said, she was taken to the PAF Hospital where she was informed that Attique had died.

On July 19, an autopsy report was issued and received by the Islamabad police, the FIR said.

Ms Khan had asked that the FIR be registered under PPC sections 302, 364, 109 and 34, as well as section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act but it was registered under sections 34 and 302.

Margalla police Homicide Unit Inspector Riaz Wihji denied that the case was being investigated and said the station house officer be contacted instead.

SHO Sub-Inspector Habibur Rehman said the case was registered against some air force officers.

When contacted, PAF Director Media Air Commodore Mohammad Ali refused to comment on the issue.

“I do not want to give a version on it,” he said.

Published in Dawn, June 15th, 2018