ISLAMABAD: In at least 35 ‘encounters’ by the Islamabad police this year, a dozen suspects were shot dead and 21 received injuries, according to data compiled by Dawn.

In the period between January 1 to September 30, a policeman was also martyred whereas four were wounded by criminals. Besides, a suspect in police custody passed away under suspicious circumstances during the same year.

Out of the 35 encounters, seven occurred during the police raids to round up suspects whereas in 23 there was a face-off between the police and the suspects. In four incidents, the suspects allegedly tried to free their accomplices from custody. Most encounters – five – took place in the jurisdiction of the Shahzad Town police station, whereas in the Sumbal and Sabzi Mandi police stations areas, four encounters each occurred. Police reported three encounters in the Noon police station area whereas two each were reported in the jurisdiction of Kirpa, Koral, Nilore, Shams Colony, Secretariat, and Shalimar police stations. One encounter was reported in Karachi Company, Aabpara, Bhara Kahu, Khanna, Margalla, and Tarnol police stations.

Police said besides the suspects slain or wounded during these encounters, at least 76 put up resistance and most of them managed to get away, as the police officials could only round up six persons.

One policeman killed, four injured in face-off with criminals

Interestingly, almost all the FIRs registered over the encounters and shootouts have the same content. According to these FIRs, the police during patrolling or at pickets flagged the suspects to stop but instead of complying with the order, they started firing the police. During the firing, the police officials remained safe but the suspects were either found killed or injured due to the shooting by their accomplices.

In some instances, the police took suspects to a spot for recovery and all of a sudden the accomplices attacked the police team. During the firing, the suspect in custody was either killed or injured by the firing of his accomplices, the FIRs stated. As per the few FIRs, the police responded only by resorting to firing in the air.

One of the major encounters in the capital took place in June in which three suspected car lifters were eliminated. One suspect, identified as Ilyas Khan, was one of the two living members of the notorious Bilal Sabit gang, who was killed during an encounter earlier. A case over the encounter was registered at the Secretariat police station under sections 302, 324, 353, 186, 427, and 34 of PPC, along with the Arms Ordinance.

Police officers told Dawn that in August, a suspect under the illegal custody of a Criminal Investigation Agency of capital police was killed under suspicious circumstances.

Over the killing, two police officials were suspended and an inquiry was also ordered to establish the facts and fix the responsibility, which was still pending.

The CIA police picked up a suspect, a native of Zhob, in connection with motorcycle thefts and brought him to the CIA building, located in Sector I-9, for interrogation. The police did not produce him before the magistrate for his physical remand.

During the “interrogation”, his condition started deteriorating and he fell unconscious. Later, the suspect was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Published in Dawn, October 29th, 2024