SAHIWAL: Only two eyewitnesses turned up at the Yousafwala police station on Monday to record their statements to the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) in connection with the Jan 19 Sahiwal killings.

Dawn learnt from sources that a five-member delegation of National Commission for Human Right Pakistan (NCHRP), a state institution, also met with JIT head Additional IG Ijaz Hussian Shah at the Yousafwala police station.

This is said to be the third visit of the JIT head to the city and crime scene to collect eyewitnesses’ account and information about the Jan 19 incident.

Only two witnesses recorded statement on Monday

On Jan 27, an advertisement appeared in newspapers, seeking any form of evidence from citizens that might help the JIT probe the incident.

Sources said announcements were also made through loudspeakers of some mosques of the area to invite witnesses to the police station.

Yousafwala SHO Imdad Baloch, also a member of the team, told Dawn that [JIT head] Ijaz Husain Shah remained at the police station from 11am to 2pm. Later, he went to local police rest house.

“Any witnesses can come and record statement till evening. I am also available till tomorrow (Jan 29),” the SHO quoting Mr Shah said.

It was learnt that [previous] eyewitnesses were also called for the third time at Yousafwala police station to record their statements but none of them came [as they had already recorded their statements].

It was learnt that a delegation from NCHRP, Islamabad, also visited Yousafwala police station and met with Ijaz Hussian Shah. The NCHRP delegation includes Chaudhry Muhammad Shafiq (chairman), Mrs. Fazila Aliani (member Balochistan), Dr. Yahya Ahmed (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) Ms. Anis Haroon (Sindh) and Ms. Kiswar Shaheen Awan (Punjab).

Talking to the media, Fazila Aliani said the JIT must facilitate eyewitnesses up to maximum level.

[Chairman] Mr Shafiq told the media that the commission observed some ‘lacunae’ in JIT process of recording eyewitnesses’ statements. He said the commission shared their ‘concerns’ with the JIT head. “Instead of calling eyewitnesses to the police station, JIT must move to places [of eyewitnesses],” he suggested.

This correspondent learnt that the NCHRP members will also visit the house of [deceased] Zeeshan and Muhammad Ibrahim at Chungi Amar Sidhu, Lahore, and meet with family members and complainant Muhammad Jalil.

A source told Dawn that the JIT has called Jalil from Lahore for ‘identity parade’ on Jan 29 (today).

Complainant Jalil did not visit Sahiwal whenever the JIT had summoned him. He told media that he did not trust the JIT and wanted judicial probe.

Published in Dawn, January 29th, 2019