ISLAMABAD: National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser has summoned the inspector general of police (IGP) Islamabad on Tuesday (today) over the death of a teenage boy in police custody a few days ago.

The speaker announced this while presiding over the NA session on Monday after the issue was raised by Member of the National Assembly from NA-5 Upper Dir Sahibzada Sibghatullah on a point of order.

The speaker gave the floor to the MNA before the start of the general discussion on the federal budget. The MNA said the police called the youngster belonging to his constancy to a police station for an investigation. He came over there along with his mother and returned after 15 to 20 minutes, he added.

However, the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) arrested the boy when he was returning home, he added.

After eight days, the family received the body of the body, the MNA said, adding a CTD official called the family to collect the body from Polyclinic.

“They said the boy had high fever that resulted into his death,” the MNA said: “We demanded justice for him.”

The legislator also criticised the media for not covering the incident.

The speaker said he had already called the IGP Islamabad to discuss the incident.

Chief Commissioner Islamabad Amir Ahmed Ali said a judicial inquiry had been ordered into the death of the teenager in police custody.

Family, relatives and neighbours of the victim held a protest on Saturday and demanded fair and independent inquiry into the incident.

Meanwhile, a delegation jointly led by MNA Sibgatullah and MPA Sanaullah from Upper Dir met IGP Qazi Jamilur Rehman.

The IGP said the delegation was assured that merit and transparency would be ensured in the investigation into the case.

They were also assured that the police will keep the family abreast of the investigation outcome, he added.According the police, the delegation expressed their reservations over the killing of the boy in the CTD police custody and sought action against those responsible.

The IGP said legal and departmental action was being taken against the personnel, adding a case had been registered under section 302 and the suspects were being arrested.The 15-year-boy, a resident of Zia Colony in Rawalpindi, was picked by a team of the police investigation wing over suspicion in connection with the two separate attacks on police – one at G-13 on March 7 and the other at Shams Colony on June 3. A policeman was killed and two others were injured in the first incident and two policemen were killed in the second incident.

He remained in the custody of the CIA where he was interrogated by an ASI and other officials. After finding him innocent, the boy was released.

Later, the boy and his mother were called to the CIA Centre where the CTD took them into custody and whisked them away. The following day, the CTD officials released the mother but the boy remained in the custody for three days till his death.

A case was registered against police officials at the Bhara Kahu over the death of the boy under PPC 322. But in a protest staged by relatives and neighbours of the boy, they demanded to register a case under 302.

Interestingly, the complainant in the case is a police official, instead of the victim’s mother or another family member.

According to the FIR, the boy was detained in the lock-up and two police constables were deployed as guards. At around 5:30pm, the constables informed an assistant sub-inspector that the boy had sustained an injury to his forehead after hitting his head with an iron frame of the lockup, it added.

Medical treatment was arranged at 6pm and the boy was again detained at the lock-up after his condition stabilised. Necessary directives were given to the guards. At around 6:30pm, one of the constables informed the ASI that the condition of the boy had deteriorated and he had high fever.

“The ASI reached the lock-up and found the boy dead due to the high fever,” the FIR added.

Published in Dawn, June 15th, 2021