SAHIWAL: Pakpattan Additional District and Sessions Judge Sikander Javed ordered registration of a case against Pakpattan Saddar Station House Officer (SHO) Ashiq Abid and five other police officials for killing a first year student, Waqar, in an encounter late on April 8 near Fatima Garden in the city.

Deceased student’s mother Rabia Bibi had moved the court. The court directed the police to share the FIR after case registration.

Earlier, the Pakpattan police said Waqar, along with his two accomplices, looted a resident of Malkan Hans and, while fleeing on a motorcycle, had an encounter with Sadar and Farid Nagar police mobile teams.

Later, the police registered an FIR at Farid Nagar police station, stating that Waqar, of neighbourhood Faridabad, was injured by his companion’s firing and succumbed to his injuries while being shifted to the Pakpattan District Headquarters Hospital and Sahiwal Teaching Hospital.

The FIR said his two accomplices fled.

However, Waqar’s family and friends denied the police’s narrative. They said Waqar went out for a haircut and was killed by the Sadar police. Even police records showed that Waqar had no criminal history. At that time, the family staged protests at Jamal Chowk, blocking traffic for seven hours.

They placed the body at the DPO office and demanded a case against the police officials involved in the fake encounter.

Under family pressure and protest, DPO Tariq Walayt formed a committee to conduct a judicial inquiry into the incident. After Eid holidays, Rabia Bibi moved the court for the registration of the case. The court declared police report as fabricated.

On the other hand, the Farid Nagar police registered a cross version of Rabia Bibi’s complaint in the previous FIR against SHO Ashiq, constables Ahmed Khan, Muhammad Waqas and Liaquat Ali and one unidentified person from Sadar police. The police have yet to arrest anyone.

Published in Dawn, April 27th, 2024