LAHORE: Punjab government’s spokesperson Shahbaz Gill has said the Joint Investigation Team has rejected the claim of the Counter Terrorism Department of crossfire in the Sahiwal operation which led to the murder of four persons, including three members of a Lahore-based family.

Talking to the media here on Saturday, he said according to the findings of the JIT, no evidence of presence of suspected motorcyclists was found.

It has also been declared by the JIT that neither the car occupants nor the driver resorted to firing when the CTD launched operation after a brief chase, he said.

He said the JIT had declared Khalil and his family innocent, but termed the car driver Zeeshan Javed a terrorist.

Mr Gill said according to the JIT findings, unavoidable evidences had confirmed that Zeeshan had links with terrorists who were involved in kidnapping and murder of some officers of the law-enforcement agencies.

He said Zeeshan’s brother Ehtisham had also been declared a suspect by the JIT, recommending the authorities concerned to include his name in the fourth schedule to keep him under surveillance.

The Punjab government spokesperson said the JIT had conducted investigations keeping in view the genuine concerns of Khalil’s family.

“Khalil’s family will surely get justice and no one involved in the murder of three innocent members of the family would be spared”, he said.

He added that on the directions of Chief Minister Usman Buzdar, the government had already released funds to the tune of Rs20 million for the care of children of Khalil who had survived in the operation.

To a question, Mr Gill further said that a bench of senior judges of the Lahore High Court had ordered judicial inquiry into the Sahiwal incident.

Khalil’s brother Jalil who was also present on the occasion said the Punjab government was completely cooperating with the family.

Published in Dawn, March 3rd, 2019