Lahore (Staff Report): The Joint Investigation Team (JIT) constituted to probe the Sahiwal incident held Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) officials responsible for the killings of three members of the same family.
Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, Punjab Law Minister Raja Basharat announced that the JIT report found no link between Khalil family and terrorism.
He said that five CTD officials who participated in the ‘encounter’ will be tried in an anti-terrorism court.
The minister added that the government has removed Additional Inspector General (AIG) CTD Operations and SSP CTD from their posts.
Raja Basharat said that the government will also hold an in camera briefing on the incident on Wednesday.
Responding to a question regarding killing of Zeehsan Javed, the provincial law minister said that the head of JIT has sought more time to investigate further about the allegations of Zeshan’s links with terror outfits.
The JIT submitted its initial report to Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar on Tuesday evening.
A meeting chaired by the Punjab CM reviewed the initial report. Senior minister Aleem Khan, Punjab Law Minister Raja Basharat, Chief Secretary, JIT members and officials from agencies attended the meeting.
Earlier, Punjab Police Additional Inspector General (AIG) Syed Ijaz Hussain Shah, who is heading the JIT, sought more time to submit a final report on the incident.
Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar had given 72 hours to the JIT for completing the probe and the deadline ended at 5pm on Tuesday. However, Shah it is not possible to submit a final report on the incident by 5pm today.
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.