ISLAMABAD: Five suspects were killed and 53 others injured in over five dozen alleged encounters in the capital in the current year. Besides, a policeman was also injured in one of the encounters.

According to details collected from the capital police, out of the total 61 encounters, 22 took place in Saddar Zone followed by 17 in Industrial Area Zone, nine in Soan Zone, seven in City Zone and six in Rural Zone.

Besides, out of the five deaths in these encounters, two suspects were killed in Industrial Area Zone and one each in City, Rural and Soan zones.

Likewise, 18 suspects were injured in Saddar, 16 in Industrial Area, eight in Soan, six in City and five in Rural Zone.

About 140 suspects were involved in these encounters and out of the total 114 escaped, while 26 were arrested.

The encounters took place when the police teams were taking under-custody handcuffed suspects either to their hideouts for recovery or returning from there. Besides, such incidents also took place during patrolling or pickets when the police spotted some suspects and tried to intercept them.

In these encounters, the police always remained unhurt from the firing of the suspects either lying down on the road, hiding behind the official vehicles, or in the nearby wooded areas or ditches. Besides, the police fired shots into air in self-defence or to ensure the custody of the suspects.

In all the incidents, the suspects sustained bullet injuries from the firing of their accomplices, according to the police.

During the current month, six encounters took place in which a suspect and an accused were killed while three suspects and a policeman were injured.

Early this week, an encounter took place in Shams Colony police limits in which the main accused behind the Laiba Aijaz suicide incident was killed. The police registered a case under section 324, 353, 186, 427, 224 and 34 of Pakistan Penal Code.

However, the content of the FIR and the police statement issued over the incident contradicted each other.

According to the FIR, the incident took place at around 8:20pm and over it a case was registered in response to a report registered at 9:35pm. The FIR stated that the incident took place when a police team along with the accused was returning after making recoveries in connection with the case.

On the other hand, a statement issued from the office of the Police Public Relations Brach at around 10:30pm stated that the incident took place when the police team was taking the suspect to a hideout for the recovery.

Besides, as per the FIR, four persons riding a motorcycle appeared and blocked the road when the police team reached Babu Shafqat Qurashi Road Officers Colony at H-13 and started straight firing at the police. On other hand, the branch’s statement stated that four accomplices of the suspects on motorcycles hiding along the way opened indiscriminate firing on the police with the intent of setting free the suspect.

According to the FIR, the accomplices started firing at the police and asked the under custody accused to escape. Due to the intense gunfire, the police took cover behind the official vehicle and a nearby wall.

The police also fired a couple of shots into air to maintain the arrest of the accused. In the meantime, the accused jumped from the vehicle after setting free the handcuff from the hands of a constable and ran away.

However, he sustained a bullet injury from the firing of his accomplices and fell down. His four accomplices escaped from the spot.

Deputy Inspector General of Police, Senior Superintendent of Police Operations and investigations were approached for comments, but they did not reply.

Published in Dawn, October 25th, 2026