ISLAMABAD: Two persons in police custody were gunned down allegedly in an encounter that took place hours after their arrests in Islamabad’s I-15 sector on Wednesday.

Sources in the police claimed that the suspects were involved in an attack that killed director land of Federal Government Employees Housing Authority (FGEHA). A Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) commissioner was injured in the same attack that took place in Islamabad’s Blue Area on October 7.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi had taken notice of the incident and sought a report from the inspector general of police, Islamabad, besides directing the police to carry out a comprehensive investigation and immediate arrest of the perpetrators.

The sources in the police said the two suspects had earlier been arrested after a brief encounter at I-15 sector.

Providing details, the sources said a police patrolling team spotted two motorcyclists acting suspiciously on Double Road in I-15 sector. When the police personnel signaled them to stop, the motorcyclists opened fire on them. Fortunately, the personnel remained unhurt due to the precautionary measures and safety gear. The police team, later, succeeded to capture and arrest the suspects and shifted them to the police station.

A case was also registered against them at Noon police station for further legal action.

The police officials claimed that during interrogation, the suspects confessed to the killing of director land FGEHA Ehsan Elahi and injuring FBR Commissioner Qaiser Ashfaq in the Oct 7 attack in Blue Area. A case of the incident was already registered with Kohsar police station.

The sources said that after their arrest, a joint raiding team comprising officials of the Homicide Unit of Kohsar police station and officials of Noon police station was constituted to arrest some other accomplices of the suspects.

The team handcuffed the suspects and took them to an under-construction structure in I-15.

According to the sources, when the police team reached the spot, the suspects’ accomplices started firing as a result of which the two arrested suspects were killed.

However, in their official X account, the police later claimed that “all of a sudden firing started when the police teams reached the identified spot. However, the police teams remained unhurt due to precautionary measures. Another police contingent was also called to the spot. A search was conducted after the situation defused, and the bodies of the two arrested suspects were found [from the site].”

“The bodies have been sent to a hospital for post mortem whereas the search for their accomplices is being carried out,” it said.

Published in Dawn, October 16th, 2025