Family members of man killed in Sahiwal 'encounter' end protest after talks with police

Published January 21, 2019
"They labelled my brother a terrorist to hide their own cruelty," Zeeshan's brother, Ehtisham had said while protesting on Lahore's Ferozpur road. — DawnNewsTV
"They labelled my brother a terrorist to hide their own cruelty," Zeeshan's brother, Ehtisham had said while protesting on Lahore's Ferozpur road. — DawnNewsTV

A compromise was reached between police officials and the protesting family members of Zeeshan Javaid, the man killed in Saturday's police 'encounter' in Sahiwal who the Punjab government alleges had links with Daesh, a proscribed terrorist organisation, DawnNewsTV reported.

Zeeshan's body, which was earlier lying on the road as his relatives protested on Sunday evening, was taken away by his family to be buried after talks were held between the police and the family members with assurances provided that justice will be served. The deceased was subsequently laid to rest.

Earlier in the day, following Punjab Law Minister Raja Basharat's remarks regarding Zeeshan's association with Daesh, Zeeshan's younger brother, Ehtisham, had categorically denied the allegations and demanded that the law minister step down from his post.

Ehtisham, who is a member of Punjab police's elite Dolphin Force, demanded justice for his older brother who he said was completely innocent.

"They labelled my brother a terrorist to hide their own cruelty," Ehtisham had said while protesting on Lahore's Ferozpur road.

Relatives and friends of Zeeshan, including a sizable number of women, had gathered to protest at the Chungi Amar Saadhu area of Ferozpur road.

"If Zeeshan is a terrorist then all the residents of the area and the entire neighbourhood are terrorists," Ehtisham had said, adding that "until the law minister resigns, the body [of Zeeshan] will lie right here".

The body of Zeeshan Javaid surrounded by protesters. — DawnNewsTV
The body of Zeeshan Javaid surrounded by protesters. — DawnNewsTV

The protesters had also demanded that the chief justice look into the matter and form a judicial commission.

Meanwhile, the three others killed in the horrifying incident — Khalil, Nabila and their teenage daughter Areeba — were laid to rest at the Shehre Khamosha graveyard in Lahore.

Funeral prayers of the deceased were not attended by any government representatives, DawnNewsTV reported.

'At the wrong place at the wrong time'

Meanwhile, Punjab Governor Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar while addressing a news conference in Lahore earlier in the day said that incidents such as the Sahiwal 'encounter' take place all over the world.

"Whenever such an incident takes place, there is always a hue and cry: 'Is this the state of Madina (you had promised)? Is this Naya Pakistan?' Such incidents take place all over the world," he remarked.

"Punjab does not have the presence of Rangers ... it is the CTD who have alone tackled terrorism. When an incident occurs, instead of blaming the people responsible, we condemn the entire organisation," he said while appreciating the services the CTD has rendered to deal with "the menace of terrorism".

"Please do not condemn the intelligence agencies," he added.

"One thing is absolutely clear, the family members [of Khalil Ahmed] were innocent victims of the crime who were at the wrong place at the wrong time. But the intelligence agencies have irrefutable evidence regarding the car they were travelling in," the governor concluded.

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