Senate body, victims’ families demand judicial probe into Sahiwal killings

–Rehman Malik terms incident as ‘target killing’

ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Interior on Tuesday rejected the joint investigation team’s (JIT) report on Sahiwal massacre, while the families of the victims have also demanded a judicial enquiry into the incident terming the JIT probe “unsatisfactory”.

The decision was made as the family members of the four people killed during the alleged encounter by Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) in Sahiwal earlier this month appeared before the Senate Standing Committee on Interior in the federal capital on Tuesday.

Four people, including three members of a family, were killed in an alleged encounter in Sahiwal on January 19. CTD personnel said they had killed a local commander of Islamic State or Daesh and three others in the operation. However, eyewitnesses and three children, whose parents were killed, disputed the claim.

The killings were witnessed by surviving members of the family, which included three minors.

During the meeting, Rehman Malik termed the incident as target killing and also rejected the Joint Investigation Team (JIT).

Family members of those killed in the incident demanded the formation of a judicial commission to probe the killing and refer the case to military courts. They have also said that they are dissatisfied with the joint investigation team (JIT) investigating the incident.

“We are not satisfied with the JIT’s investigation,” the mother of Zeeshan, one of the victims, told the committee.

“The police that are investigating [the incident] are the ones who committed the killings,” she added, while requesting the prime minister to provide justice.

“All we want is justice.”

“They killed my son and then they labelled him as a terrorist,” she said while critcising provincial ministers for labelling Zeeshan a terrorist on television.

“Don’t they (ministers) have any manners?”

Zeeshan’s brother added that her mother worked as a maid to raise the two boys.

“I will refer to those who were killed as martyrs,” Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Rehman Malik responded.

She informed the committee that the family had been living in the same house for over 25 years and that Zeeshan was the only breadwinner of the family.

“An Indian spy was also caught alive, why wasn’t Zeeshan arrested alive?” she asked.

Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Javed Abbasi said that Punjab law ministers were hiding facts of the case and accused them of lying. He added that the provincial ministers had changed their statements over the incident a number of times.

“Police are involved in the killings, they will not do justice,” he claimed.

“The committee rejected the JIT, Senate rejected the JIT, then what capacity is this JIT working in?” Abbasi said.

In response, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Azam Swati gave a sharp rebuke, saying that it was agreed the incident would not be politicised.

The standing committee, however, demanded the government to form a judicial commission to probe the incident and directed interior secretary to investigate why ministers changed their statements.

While talking to media afterwards, Rehman Malik said that he had written a letter to Prime Minister Imran Khan over the issue, requesting him to “answer the call of the nation” and constitute a judicial commission in his capacity as the interior minister.

“It is better that you (interior minister) take the initiative (and form a judicial commission),” he said. Malik added that the matter would be discussed in the House if the commission is not formed.

Malik said that the sacrifices of the law enforcement agencies will not be forgotten because of crimes committed by few.

“We will appreciate the [sacrifices of the forces] on record because will not discourage anyone. But will also not allow violation of law,” he asserted.

Meanwhile, Khalil’s brother Jalil said that they were forced to change their lawyer after allegedly receiving threats. Khalil along with his wife and daughter were among the four killed in the tragedy.

The Khalil family’s lawyer Shehbaz Bukhari alleged that other members of Khalil’s family, including his brother Jalil, were receiving death threats. He alleged that officers of the CTD were trying to protect their colleagues.

“CCPO Lahore has been informed of the threats and family members have also told the JIT about life threats,” Bukhari told reporters.