ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Interior on Tuesday rejected the joint investigation team (JIT) formed by the Punjab government to investigate the Sahiwal incident, in which four people were killed by the firing of Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) personnel, and called for formation of a judicial commission to look into the matter.

The committee took the decision after recording the testimony of the mother and brother of Zeeshan Javed who was killed along with Mohammad Khalil, his wife Nabeela, teenage daughter Areeba in the Sahiwal incident.

The mother, Hameeda Bibi (65), told the committee that his son was innocent and had nothing to do with terrorism.

She said even if there were evidence aga­inst Zeeshan he must have been arrested alive. “If an Indian spy [Kulbhushan Jadhavv] could be arrested alive, why my son was killed,” she said in a sobbing tone.

Zeeshan’s brother, Aitisham, said that his brother had become a victim of the extra judicial killing. He said it was strange that evidence of Zeeshan’s alleged involvement in terrorism was being collected after his death.

He said by accusing Zeeshan of being involved in terrorism the government was damaging the reputation of his family. “It is very difficult for the family to carry the stigma of terrorism,” Aitisham, who is a member of the Punjab Police’s Dolphin force, said.

He said when he joined the police intelligence agencies carried out investigation of all of his family members. He said not a single FIR or even a simple report was registered against Zeeshan anywhere in the country.

Both the mother and brother of Zeeshan demanded that the allegation of terrorism on the deceased should be taken back by the government.

Published in Dawn, January 30th, 2019