GUJAR KHAN: Two suspects involved in the killing of two officials of the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) and a volunteer died from the “firing of their accomplices” in an encounter in Dina on Sunday night, police said.

On June 12, ANF head constable Gulzar, Lance Naik Mazar and a civilian volunteer Zeeshan were martyred by drug smugglers during a chase near Bakrala bridge in Jhelum. The police arrested the driver of the car while four other suspects escaped.

According to sources, the suspects were arrested by law enforcement agencies in Gwadar while allegedly attempting to enter Iran and handed over to ANF. Later, they were given in the custody of the Dina police on physical remand.

According to the First Information Report (FIR) registered at the Dina police station on Monday, the suspects identified as Syed Qasim Ali Shah and Syed Bilal Shah during interrogation had confessed to killing the ANF personnel and the volunteer and agreed to cooperate in recovering the Kalashnikovs used in the shoot-out which they said were hidden near Tilla Jogian hills.

The FIR said after the guns were recovered and the police team was returning, the two other suspects, Syed Amir Shah and Johar Abbas Shah, along with their unidentified accomplices shouted from the woods to release Bilal and Qasim. The FIR said Bilal and Qasim freed themselves from the police custody and ran towards their accomplices, who then opened fire on the police. It said a bullet hit a constable but he remained unhurt as he was wearing an armoured jacket. The police chased the suspects and found Bilal and Qasim in a pool of blood while their accomplices had escaped, the FIR added.

District Police Officer (DPO) Jhelum Nasir Mahmood Bajwa asked DSP Saddar circle to submit a report and initiate a search to arrest the suspects.

The sources said the suspects involved in the attack on the ANF officials belonged to Gujar Khan, Kharian and Jhang.

Meanwhile, the Jhelum police also said two of the three suspects involved in the killing of retired Brig Ameer Hamza near his hometown of Lilla on June 19 had been arrested and sent to jail.

Published in Dawn, July 23rd, 2024