LARKANA: A court on Thursday sent a suspect, who police say was arrested wounded in an encounter, to jail on a 14-day judicial remand and directed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to conduct an independent and impartial investigation into the incident, which his mother has called fake.
Ali Zaib Solangi, who was produced before the Fourth Civil Judge and Judicial Magistrate by Rehmatpur police, told the court that the SHO of Rehmatpur police station and an unidentified person had taken him to an undisclosed location and shot him in the leg.
The court directed the FIA Circle Larkana to carry out the inquiry and ordered the jail superintendent to provide all necessary medical facilities in the jail ward and to produce Solangi again before the relevant court on Nov 5.
It further ordered the jail authorities to present the accused immediately before the medico-legal officer (MLO) at Chandka hospital for a complete medical and legal examination of his alleged gunshot wound and any other visible or reported injuries.
The MLO was directed to record the findings, prepare a medico-legal certificate and send it directly to the jail authorities, who must submit it to the court by Oct 29.
If Solangi requires special treatment or admission to a hospital outside the jail, the court said, arrangements should be made in accordance with the law. It also ordered that the SSP Larkana be made aware of the allegations so that he could take appropriate steps within his legal authority, provided the independent investigation was not affected.
According to police, an exchange of fire took place on Wednesday night between police and suspects who were allegedly standing with the intent of committing a crime in the Qutb Shadi Hall area, within the limits of the Rehmatpur police station. One suspect was arrested wounded, along with a pistol.
Police said the man was identified as Solangi, a proclaimed offender. They said initial investigation indicated that he had been absconding owing to his involvement in serious crimes and various cases in Larkana and surrounding areas.
Meanwhile, Solangi’s elderly mother, Husna Begum Solangi, a resident of Shaikh Zaid Colony, protested in front of the Larkana Press Club on Thursday, calling the encounter fake and appealing to the media for help. She said her son was mentally unstable, had undergone an operation in Karachi two years ago, had been receiving treatment at a private hospital in Sukkur and had
been discharged 20 days earlier.
She alleged that on Wednesday, personnel of the Waleed police station arrested her son from Shaikh Zaid High School and demanded a bribe through private individuals. When the family refused, she claimed, police shot him in a staged encounter within the limits of Rehmatpur police station that night. He is currently admitted to the trauma centre.
She said no cases were registered against her son and that he had been arrested without any wrongdoing and wounded in a fake encounter, which she called a grave injustice. She appealed to the authorities to take notice, act against the police officers and personnel involved and secure her son’s release.
Published in Dawn, October 23rd, 2026
