Despite stern orders from the Lahore High Court (LHC), the Punjab Police IG has failed to constitute an investigation team under a senior deputy IG rank official to reinvestigate the facts of a fake police encounter carried out by Nishtar Colony police on June 10.
The LHC had ordered the reinvestigation after hearing a writ petition filed by Sima Bibi, the mother of Constable Asif Maseeh Bhatti, an accused who was arrested by police along with Kahna DSP Riasat Bajwah, SI Riaz and Constable Abdul Qadir for killing Shahbaz Butt of Wassanpura on June 10. The court had ordered the IG to form an inquiry committee within seven days.
Riaz, Asif and Qadir’s relatives said they were not satisfied with the two inquiries conducted by Investigation Senior SP Abdur Razzaq Cheema and DIG Maj (r) Mubasharullah. The relatives of the accused claimed that Inspector Naveed Akmal was a close relative of an additional IG. They said DIG (r) Mubasharullah had mentioned in his report that the “encounter” had been carried out by the lower subordinates on the orders of Kot Lakhpat SDPO Riasat Bajwah, but he was working as Kahna Circle SDPO at the time.
They also claimed that Shahbaz Butt was murdered in ‘an encounter’ on the orders of the Lahore police high-ups, including DIG Operations Ghulam Mehmood Dogar and Model Town Operations SP Malik Awais. They requested appointment of Additional IG Aftab Sultan or DIG Aimlaish Khan to probe the matter.
Well-placed sources in the IG office revealed the IG would constitute an inquiry committee in a day or two. Public Relations Director Nabeela, quoting Punjab IG Javed Iqbal, said the application from Sima Bibi was received by the IG office on August 21. The Lahore CCPO would send his findings to the IG today. She said the new investigating team was expected to be formed in a day or two by the IG.
