Lahore (Staff Report/Agencies): Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar on Sunday announced a Rs20 million compensation for the family of Sahiwal ‘encounter’.
While addressing a press briefing on the Sahiwal 'encounter', Punjab Law Minister Raja Basharat said the government will pay the cost of children’s education and provide them will free medical facilities.
The supervisor of the CTD officials has been suspended and those involved in shooting the four people have been taken into custody, he added.
On Saturday, a joint investigation team was constituted by the Punjab IG to investigate the killings. It includes members of the Inter-Services Intelligence, Military Intelligence, and Intelligence Bureau. The report will be submitted in three days. “We will take appropriate action after the investigation team submits its report,” said the Punjab minister.
Basharat read out CTD’s findings too. According to the department, two suicide jackets and explosives were found in Zeeshan’s car. They said that Zeeshan was wanted in several cases of crime, including the kidnapping of Ali Haider Gilani, the son of former premier Yousuf Raza Gilani, and several American citizens. He was accused to be a member of Daesh.
The minister showed footage of a silver Honda City following Zeeshan’s white Alto from Lahore to Sahiwal on January 13. The CTD suspected that Zeeshan was working with the terrorists in the silver car. The terrorists allegedly were involved in attempted kidnapping and killing of ISI Inspector Yasir Manzoor.
The CTD was searching for the car since January 13 and it was located on January 18 outside Zeeshan’s house. The department officials found terrorists living at his house. However, they didn’t take any action because the house was located in a residential area.
The next day, January 19, the car was seen leaving the city and the CTD decided to stop it after which resulted in the shooting.
On Saturday, the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) killed four people, including parents and their teenage daughter near Qadirabad.
Khalil, a resident of Kot Lakhpat, Lahore, his wife Nabeela, their 13-year-old daughter, and their neighbour, Zeeshan, were on their way to a wedding in Burewala when they were killed in firing on their car near the toll plaza on GT Road in the Qadirabad area.
Three children in the car survived. Khalil and Nabeela's minor son sustained a bullet injury while their two other daughters remained unhurt.
According to an initial medical examination, Khalil sustained 13 bullet wounds in his chest and head, his wife Nabeela sustained four, Zeeshan was found to have 10 bullet injuries; and Areeba, six bullets.
CTD officials said those killed in the shooting were terrorists belonging to a proscribed militant organisation, Daesh. The CTD spokesperson identified one of them, Zeeshan, as an active member of the banned outfit, explaining that the terrorists used to travel with families to avoid police checking.
After Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar’s ordered, the CTD personnel have been taken into custody on Saturday evening.
