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tribune.com.pk
LAHORE
Four people–including two women–were killed in a ‘shady encounter’ by Punjab’s counterterrorism police on a highway in the Qadirabad area of Sahiwal district on Saturday noon.
The police first identified the victims as “kidnappers” and then as “terrorists from a proscribed group” raising doubts about the “encounter”.
The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) claimed in a statement that they signaled an Alto car and a motorcycle to stop near “Sahiwal Toll Plaza” on GT Road, but the occupants did not pull over and instead opened fire. The police returned the fire and in the ensuing gunfight four people, including two women, were killed by the “firing of their own accomplices”, according to the CTD.
The victims have been identified as Muhammad Khalil, his wife Nabeela, 13-year-old daughter Areeba and a neighbour. Three children were also recovered from the “trunk of the car”. The children, who were shifted to the DHQ ospital, contradicted the CTD version, saying the fatalities included their parents, elder sister and driver and that they were travelling from Lahore to Boriwala to attend a wedding.
“My papa pleaded before the police that there was no weapon in the car and that the police could search the vehicle,” one of the children, Umar Khalil, said. “They didn’t listen to my papa and opened fire.”
The CTD claimed that they have also recovered “suicide jackets, hand grenades and a rifle from the scene.
Eyewitnesses, however, endorsed the children’s version, saying that the CTD officials opened fire on the car without warning. They added no weapons or explosives were recovered from the occupants.
LAHORE
Four people–including two women–were killed in a ‘shady encounter’ by Punjab’s counterterrorism police on a highway in the Qadirabad area of Sahiwal district on Saturday noon.
The police first identified the victims as “kidnappers” and then as “terrorists from a proscribed group” raising doubts about the “encounter”.
The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) claimed in a statement that they signaled an Alto car and a motorcycle to stop near “Sahiwal Toll Plaza” on GT Road, but the occupants did not pull over and instead opened fire. The police returned the fire and in the ensuing gunfight four people, including two women, were killed by the “firing of their own accomplices”, according to the CTD.
The victims have been identified as Muhammad Khalil, his wife Nabeela, 13-year-old daughter Areeba and a neighbour. Three children were also recovered from the “trunk of the car”. The children, who were shifted to the DHQ ospital, contradicted the CTD version, saying the fatalities included their parents, elder sister and driver and that they were travelling from Lahore to Boriwala to attend a wedding.
“My papa pleaded before the police that there was no weapon in the car and that the police could search the vehicle,” one of the children, Umar Khalil, said. “They didn’t listen to my papa and opened fire.”
The CTD claimed that they have also recovered “suicide jackets, hand grenades and a rifle from the scene.
Eyewitnesses, however, endorsed the children’s version, saying that the CTD officials opened fire on the car without warning. They added no weapons or explosives were recovered from the occupants.
