ISLAMABAD: Protesters blocked Srinagar Highway on Saturday after a trader was killed in an alleged police crossfire.

An FIR over the incident was registered after the victim’s family, relatives and traders’ community placed the body on the highway and refused to end their protest till legal action was taken against those involved in the incident.

The deceased was identified as Shahid Imran Tarrar, additional general secretary of Islamabad Fresh Milk Association (IFMA) and a native of Malikwal tehsil.

Bilal Nazir Gondal, the victim’s brother-in-law, told Dawn that the police registered the case only after the protesters refused to end the demonstration.

“We gathered on Srinagar Highway at around 2:30pm to protest the killing of Mr Tarrar,” he added.

FIR registered as protesters refuse to vacate site; SSP Operations says victim caught up in crossfire between police, robbers

“Police officers assured us of holding an investigation and taking strict action against those responsible for the killing,” he added.

The police then registered a case and handed over its copy to the family in the evening. Funeral prayers of the deceased were later offered there.

Long queues of vehicles were seen on other roads of the capital, including I.J. Principal Road, Islamabad Expressway as well as around Faizabad due to the protest.

According to the FIR registered with Shams Colony police station under section 302 of Pakistan Penal Code, Tarrar along with his employee Rabail Haider were travelling on a motorcycle and came to a tyre shop near Mircho Darbar at 1:15am.

In the meantime, police officials present at the newly-installed iron bridge started firing at them, it added.

As a result, Tarrar sustained two bullet injuries and fell on the road, the FIR said. Two passersby reached the spot and one of them - Zafar Abbas - called Rescue 15. They later took Tarrar to Pims where he was pronounced dead, it added.

Mr Bilal further told Dawn that after the shooting, the policemen collected the bullet shells from the spot and left, adding that there were four to five policemen on the bridge who fired at them.

“There was no other person in and around the spot. Besides, there was also no cross firing with anyone as stated by Rabail,” he said.

When contacted, Media Director and Senior Superintendant of Police (Operations) Dr Mustafa Tanweer told Dawn that details collected so far showed that a police team was patrolling in G-13. A man approached the police and informed them that he had been robbed by four robbers at the bridge installed on Srinagar Highway, and the police team responded to it.

The police team started chasing the alleged robbers and when the culprits reached the overhead bridge they started firing at the police.

The police retaliated and during the cross firing, Tarrar present on the H-13 side suffered two bullets.

The police collected bullet shells of 9mm and 30-bore pistol from the spot, he said, adding the police also used 9mm.

The investigators will establish and identify the weapon the bullets of which killed the man, he said. The SPs of Saddar and Industrial Area are supervising the investigation.

A robbery case has also been registered at the Golra police station, Dr Tanweer added.

Published in Dawn, September 5th, 2021