LAHORE/GUJRAT: Twenty-three (23) suspected drug dealers were killed and three policemen injured on Monday in a series of encounters across Punjab as the Crime Control Department (CCD) intensified a province-wide crackdown on drug networks, officials said.

The encounters were reported in Multan, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Okara, Sialkot, Sargodha, Jalalpur Pirwala, Vehari, Lodhran and Muzaffargarh.

Encounters took place after `suspects opened fire on CCD teams’ during raids and roadside checks, prompting retaliatory action and prolonged exchange of gunfire.

In Multan, a CCD team was present at NLC Bypass and signalled a car carrying three persons to stop for checking.

Three cops injured, contraband recovered

The suspects opened fire at police. A constable, Sajjad, suffered gun shots in the chest but remained safe wearing a bullet proof jacket. The police retaliated the firing and chased the car at which two of the suspects leaving the car fled the scene. The police cordoned off the car and found one of the suspects, Shafqat Ali, dead and also recovered a pistol and four packets of hashish. The suspect was a proclaimed offender in several cases.

In another incident, a Jalalpur Pirwala team patrolling near Kanu Chowk on Lodhran road and signalled three motorcyclists to stop for checking.

The riders opened fire at police. The team retaliated in self-defence, resultantly, two of the motorcyclists fled the scene while one of them, Mushtaq Ahmad, suffered a bullet wound and fell on the ground.

The police arrested the suspect and shifted him to a nearby hospital for treatment. The suspect was a proclaimed offender and involved in several robbery and drugs related cases.

In Vehari, two suspected drug dealers were killed and a station house officer was injured in an operation.

SHO Rao Yasir Nawaz was conducting a search operation against the drug dealers in Sahoka area where the suspects opened fire at him. The SHO suffered bullet in the leg and called police contingent.

The police cordoned off the area to search for the suspects. The police and suspect exchanged fire for more than an hour. When the firing stopped, police launched the search operation and found two of the suspects Majid Joiya and Sagheer dead while two of their accomplices fled the scene.

The police recovered 4kg drugs and two pistols.

In Lodhran, a CCD Kahror Pakka circle team had set up a check post at Rind Bridge and signalled three motorcyclists to stop. The riders opened fire at the police.

The police retaliated in self defence, resultantly, one of the suspects suffered a bullet wound and fell on the ground while others managed to escape.

The suspect Saeed Ahmad of Kehror Pakka was taken to a nearby hospital where he could not survive. Police recovered a pistol. The suspect was a PO in 12 drug-related cases registered in different police stations.

In Tehsil Alipur, Muzaffargarh, two of the suspected drug dealers were killed while two policemen were injured in an encounter in Aliwala forest.

A CCD team led by Jam Sajjad Haider on information conducted the raid at which the suspect opened fire at them. Two of the policemen — ASIs Kamran and Shahid — suffered sustained bullet wounds while the police chased the suspects in the forest and killed two drug dealers Sarfraz alias Totu and Abdul Lateef.

The suspects were POs in several drugs related cases in different police stations of the district.

In Gujranwala region, the CCD claimed to have killed at least 16 drug dealers mainly those dealing in ice during the last 24 hours.

A spokesman said at least eight ice dealers were killed during encounters in different districts of Gujranwala region late on Sunday night and as the operation continued, eight more such drug dealers were killed and one injured during the crackdown on Monday.

He said four criminals were killed in the encounters with the Gujranwala CCD, five in Mandi Bahauddin, three each in Gujrat and Sialkot districts and one in Hafizabad.

In Okara, a CCD team on Sunday night encountered a notorious drug dealer identified as Mushtaq alias Kali. When challenged, he allegedly resisted and opened fire and during a shootout, he suffered fatal bullet wounds.

One kilogram of charas (hashish) was recovered from his possession. The CCD report further states that Kali’s wife, Shahnaz Begum, and sons Abrar and Bilal were also involved in drug trafficking.

In a separate incident, a CCD team signalled a suspicious vehicle to stop, but the driver accelerated, leading to a pursuit. The occupants of the vehicle began shooting at the team. In retaliation, one alleged gunman was killed, while two co-suspects escaped. The killed individual was identified as Ali Akbar of village 464 GB, Faisalabad.

In Sargodha, seven drug dealers, who are involved in scores of cases, were arrested in an injured condition.

Police said each injured suspect was accompanied by two accomplices who managed to escape after sustaining injuries from their own accomplices’ firing.

Cases have been registered in the police stations of Bhera, Midh Ranjha, Shahpur, Sillanwali, Satellite Town, Mela and Bhalwal.The injured suspects were identified as Tanveer, Ghafoor, Shaukat, Nadeem alias Kaka, Tanveer Machi, Muhammad Nadeem, and Shakeel Bito.

In another incident, Shah Nikdar police arrested Ameer, a reported narcotics peddler, who was held with 1.46 kg of heroin and cash. Ameer sustained no injuries, nor was he reported to have any accomplices present.

Published in Dawn, December 2nd, 2025