- Questions that Punjab government must answer
The evidence related to Sahiwal killings makes it abundantly clear that these were pre-planned murders by CTD personnel. The statements by the surviving son Umair regarding how his father pleaded before being cold-bloodedly shot and how his sister was first shifted with other children to the police van and then pushed again into the targeted car and shot dead are damaging evidence. So is the footage shot by a bystander that corroborated Umair’s evidence. And now comes the highly damaging post-mortem report revealing that all Sahiwal victims were shot multiple times at very close range and were shot in the head at least once. The report proves that it was a deliberate and pre-meditated slaughter.
The way the government acted after the cold-blooded murders could be interpreted as connivance. The law minister maintained that the operation was conducted on concrete evidence and was “100 per cent correct”. The way the JIT appointed by the government is moving at a snail’s pace to collect and submit evidence for forensic analysis creates a perception that the investigation is being consciously delayed to weaken the case. Even the blood-stained clothes of the victims and the official weapons used by the CTD personnel have not been provided to the forensic lab. The National Commission for Human Rights Pakistan (NCHRP) has noted that instead of visiting the witnesses, JIT is summoning them to Sahiwal thus delaying investigations.
The family of the victims have accused the CTD of trying to save their colleagues by exerting pressure on them to drop the case. They have complained of harassment. Their lawyer has released the audio message telling him to desist from fighting the family’s case .
Zeeshan who drove the car has been dubbed as a terrorist. That convincing evidence to prove the claim has yet to be provided, indicates it is being cooked up after his killing. Before proceeding to Qatar Imran Khan had assured that exemplary punishment will be awarded to perpetrators of the crime once he returns home. The prime minister will have now to answer for the killings. Like the Model Town incident, Sahiwal carnage too was pre-planned and has raised questions about the Punjab government’s role.
