BAHAWALPUR: The Machiwal police in Vehari district booked on Monday 14 policemen for being involved in the alleged murder of lawyer Zeeshan Dhadhi and his nephew in a “staged encounter” with drug peddlers on Saturday last.

They have been booked on the demand of deceased Zeeshan Dhadhi’s mother and other relatives belonging to village 21/ WB who held a demonstration on Monday.

According to police PRO Adnan Tariq, the police registered cross FIR on the written complaint of Safia Bibi wherein she nominated Machiwal SHO Rai Muhammad Sajid, SI Junaid Bhatti, ASI Muhammad Ashraf and 11 other personnel.

She alleged that police barged into her house and opened fire with killed her son Zeeshan advocate and grandson Hasnain Yousaf.

Bars observe strike

She claimed there was a dispute between her son and SHO Rai Sajid and that was was the real motive of the killing.

According to complainant Safia Bibi, some time back there was an exchange of hot words between her son and the SHO at Vehari courts. She claimed SHO Rai Sajid had grudge against her son and wanted to take revenge.

About the firing episode, she said when her son was seriously injured, police drove him in serious injured condition in the official van and confined her in the same vehicle. Her son later succumbed to his wounds in police vehicle. After the registration of the case against police, deceased’s mother Safia Bibi and other relatives called off the stage-in.

The PRO did not confirm the arrest of any police official nominated in the FIR .

It may be recalled that Machiwal police had claimed that lawyer and his nephew were drug peddlers. It said when police raided their house, the lawyer and nephew opened fire. During crossfire, police maintained, both Dhadhi and his nephew were killed. Police also claimed recovering narcotics from their house.

Meanwhile, the district bars of Bahawalpur, Lodhran and Vehari today observed strike and demanded the arrest of accused policemen. The Punjab Bar Council and the Lahore Bar Association gave calls for the strike, urging lawyers not to appear before courts.

The bar strongly condemned the killing of lawyer Muhammad Zeeshan allegedly by the police, demanding that all personnel involved in the incident be arrested immediately. The lawyers sought an inquiry of the incident by a judicial commission.

The lawyers also condemned the murder of Mehar Munir Sial, a former president of district bar association of Jhang, in broad daylight. They demanded the Punjab police chief to bring the perpetrators to justice without a delay.

The strike also caused disruption at the Lahore sessions court, where protesting lawyers locked the main entrance gate for several hours. The closure left litigants stranded outside the court premises.

Published in Dawn, December 2nd, 2025