PESHAWAR, Nov 1: The Peshawar High Court directed the Crimes Branch of police on Thursday to register a murder case against four police officers, including a deputy superintendent of police and three station house officers, for allegedly killing a person in a fake encounter.

A division bench of the high court, comprising Justice Shahjehan Khan Yousafzai and Justice Qazi Ahsanullah Qureshi, accepted a writ petition filed by Shahi Lal, mother of the deceased, Ali Haider.

The court directed the police to register an FIR under section 302   of Qisas and Diyat Law against the four officers — DSP Gul Afzal and three SHOs,  Fareed Hussain, Fazal Mohammad and Sheikh Fareed.

The petitioner has charged the then Senior Superintendent of Police, Peshawar, Malik  Saad, with masterminding the plan for killing Haider.

The police claimed that the deceased was wanted in different cases, including a dacoity which was committed in Peshawar. It was claimed that a party, including the four officers, had been constituted, which visited Daggar, Buner district, for apprehending the accused.

The police claimed that when the officers raided Haider’s house he opened  fire and during a gun duel that ensued, Haider was killed.