BAHAWALNAGAR: The family of a youth killed in a police encounter has appealed to the prime minister to take notice of the incident, saying the Haroonabad police planned his murder by first lodging a fake robbery case and later killing him in the encounter.

Deceased Sajid Baloch’s mother Safia Bibi and sister Shazia told reporters on Friday that Sajid had no criminal record and his only fault was a fallout with his cousin who is an influential landlord and has beenconvicted of heinous crimes.

They alleged that the Haroonabad police lodged a robbery FIR against him three days ago and two days later the police called him outside their house to arrest him but killed him in a fake encounter and showed him as a hardened criminal.

The family demanded that the inspector general of police carry out a transparent probe.

The police, however, told Dawn that an FIR of robbery was lodged against Sajid on the complaint of Azam Khan, after verification, for snatching his car at the Haroonabad City police station.

When the police went to his house in Chak 72/4R, he along with his accomplices opened fire at the police and left ASI Asif Gujjar, Constable Basharat and a passerby injured, whereas Sajid died in firing by his accomplices.

Published in Dawn, May 8th, 2021