• Two youths were killed, one injured in Shikarpur shootout on June 1
• Probe blames SSP, other police officers for negligence in proper investigation

SUKKUR: The special inquiry team formed by the Sindh police chief to ascertain facts about an encounter, in which two suspects were killed in Shikarpur, has concluded that police had failed to come out with any evidence of the victims being criminals.

The IGP had instituted the inquiry after the bereaved families had moved court over the “fake encounter” and the court had ordered an investigation.

The inquiry committee, in its final report, said that four key witnesses refused to support the FIR version and the claim by the Shikarpur police narrative of an encounter by a Madadgar 15 team about a month back.

The report said that on June 1, 2025, an alleged police encounter was reported vide FIR No. 68/2025 registered at the Stuart Ganj police station of Shikarpur district. The incident resulted in the death of two civilians — Ghulam Murtaza Jatoi and Amjad Luhar — and injuries to one, Asghar Ali Jatoi, who was subsequently arrested. It was claimed that all three were armed and had engaged in a firefight with the police.

“There are four star witnesses cited in the FIR, i.e. complainant SIP Mir Muhammad Soomro, ASI Ilahi Bux of PS New Faujdari cited as first mashir, ASI Muhammad Ilyas Khakhrani of PS Lakhi Gate (applicant) cited as second mashir, and PC Shahid Hussain Bhayo I/C Gul Shah Picket PS Stuart Ganj, cited as only eyewitness in the FIR”.

Barring the complainant in the aforementioned FIR, SIP Mir Muhammad Soomro, all key witnesses have retracted from their testimony and have refused to support the version of the FIR, and official police narrative, the report said.

“In light of the findings of the enquiry team, it is revealed that the incident as reported in the FIR’s version did not actually take place. The actual findings of this enquiry, derived from recorded statements, material evidence, and documentary scrutiny, point towards the possibility that the alleged suspects travelled from Khanpur towards Shikarpur city on the date of the incident, and arrived at Jumani Hall around 2100 hours.

“Thereafter, the 15-Madadgar team deployed at Jumani Hall, based on their own judgement, assumed the three individuals as suspects and began following the suspects after which the suspect individuals were alarmed and tried to flee the scene.

During hot pursuit, the 15-Madadgar team had strong reason to believe that the suspects were either getting away after committing some criminal activity or were en route to commit the same.

“As the police pursuit prolonged, the 15-Madadgar team’s suspicion grew even stronger, and they decided to engage the accused suspects using excessive and disproportionate force to prevent any untoward incident taking place in the public, based on their judgement and prevailing crime and law and order situations in District Shikarpur.

“As the suspects neared Gul Shah Ghat, the 15-Madadgar team knowing that if the suspects are not apprehended or engaged promptly, they will get away. Consequently, they fired shots resulting in the death of two individuals, and injuries to one individual.”

The inquiry team directed the SSP Shikarpur and SDPO City to produce all available surveillance, forensic, and ballistic records in support of the alleged encounter.

Despite multiple opportunities, neither the footage nor valid documentary evidence was presented corroborating the official version of the alleged encounter. Failure to produce critical forensic evidence in a timely manner, coupled with reliance on post-incident reconstruction, severely undermine the credibility of the police narrative.

The report said that the SSP Shikarpur and SDPO City exhibited shortcomings in their statutory duties to command, supervise and investigate as per regulations and law. Their lack of oversight resulted in failure of timely decision making and procedural lapses in an ongoing operational situation.

Published in Dawn, July 4th, 2025