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Published 10 Jun, 2011 08:38pm

Two men of Rangers ‘death squad’ sent to lock-up

KARACHI, June 10: As a judicial magistrate remanded two Rangers personnel involved in the killing of an unarmed youngster in police custody for five days, other soldiers of the paramilitary force seen in the footage of the incident and mentioned by the complainant in the FIR had still not been arrested by the law-enforcers, officials and victim’s family said on Friday.

The Rangers men — Shahid Zafar and Muhammed Afzal — were produced with their faces covered in Ajrak amid tight security in the court of Judicial Magistrate Nadeem Badr Qazi by the Boat Basin police. A large number of litigants, who happened to be at the city courts for their cases, thronged the magisterial court to have a glimpse of the suspects.

However, their five accomplices — three in uniform and two in plain clothes —had not been arrested despite Sindh Rangers DG Major General Ijaz Chaudary claiming that a total of six personnel were in their custody and facing inquiry.

While Sindh Rangers handed over two of the suspects to the police, no official from the quarters concerned shared any fact regarding the other suspects with the media. The police showed unawareness about handing over of the other suspects and said they were pursuing what had been recorded in the FIR.

“The two men handed over to the police included the one who fired at the youngster,” said a senior police official. “The other might be the one who pushed back the youngster when he was pleading for mercy holding the rifle of the shooter. We are interrogating the suspects mentioned in the FIR by the complainant.”

However, the complainant of the FIR disputed the police claim. He mentioned to the police authorities that the people seen in the footage both in uniform and plain clothes were the suspects of his brother’s killing.

“I only came to know the name of two Rangers officials. I tried my best to trace the names of the other four in uniform and two in plain clothes but could not succeed,” said Saalik Shah, victim’s elder brother and a journalist associated with Samaa TV.

“Neither anyone from police nor any official from Sindh Rangers helped me in finding the names of other suspects,” he said, adding that he had insisted on lodging the FIR against all the people seen in the footage. “It was quite obvious and everyone can see them.”

Adviser to the Prime Minister on Human Rights Mustafa Nawaz Khokar, however, said he would pursue the policeinvestigations and was also in touch with the victim’s family. “If there is currently any negligence during the investigation process, it would no more be there since the Supreme Court has taken up the matter,” he said.

He added that the SC ordered a transparent investigation with hearing on a daily basis and sought a report within 30 days.

“Similarly, I am in constant contact with the victim’s family to keep the process up to their satisfaction,” he said.

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