FAISALABAD, May 21: Another encounter by Jhang Bazaar police in which five people (two brothers and their cousins) were killed on Oct 26 last has been found to be staged by a judicial probe.

The inquiry officer, civil judge and judicial magistrate Shahzad Aslam Chadhar, held that an SP, a DSP, two SHOs and an ASI had done justice on their own in this case.

The Jhang Bazaar police had gunned down five alleged robbers identified as Zaarak alias Zaki Butt, his elder brother Arif Butt, Shakeel Butt, Hamid and Ali Nawaz on Oct 26.

This is the second encounter by the Jhang Bazaar police declared as staged by the judicial inquiry. The inquiry officer in both the cases was Mr Shahzad Aslam Chadhar.

(A report on the Dec 5 encounter probe was carried by Dawn in its May 21 issue)

The civil judge's findings in the Oct 26 encounter quoted police as saying that seven robbers looted Rs42,000 in cash from Midway CNG station on Rajbah Road at 3:45am.

On getting information, Jhang Bazaar SHO Farruakh Waheed, now serving as Razabad SHO, and former Gulberg SHO Malik Tariq rushed to the spot where an exchange of fire between the station guards and robbers was under way. On seeing police, the robbers also aimed at them. The police said it returned the fire in self-defence.

Police said two of the robbers were killed on the spot, as many fled towards Jugewala while three others entered a walled compound and continued firing at the police.

In the meantime, then Lyallpur Town SP Zameerul Haq, now serving as CIA DSP, and former Gulberg DSP Khurram Shahzad, now serving as DSP headquarters (traffic), reached the spot along with elite force.

The encounter continued for some time resulting into the death of two more dacoits. The third robber entered a house but was also killed in exchange of fire.

The judge noted that no policeman or CNG station gunman suffered any injury. Police were active enough to kill the five accused on the spot while two accused fled in their presence.

The judge did not buy the police version that the fifth accused entered a house and fired at the police from the rooftop but was eventually killed in the exchange of bullets.

The judge noted that the injuries suffered by all the deceased were same in nature which created doubts regarding the authenticity of encounter.

The inquiry officer noted that SHO Waheed also chased two accused who fled the scene but, at the same time, he was present at the spot firing in self-defence. Firing continued for 20-25 minutes when the three accused were hiding in the compound but a small numbers of empties were found there. The accused (in the compound) could not manage escape although they had sufficient time and space to run away.

The judge also cast doubt on the veracity of police officials evidence. The fifth accused died while sitting on the roof of house but he was not gunned down when he was running in front of police although he was well in their sight.

All the accused were involved in criminal activities but they were not put to trial and the police did the justice on their own.

Describing the encounter surprising, the judge noted that higher police officials like SP Haq and the DSP Khurram were also present at the place of occurrence and no responsible decision was taken by them.

“SP Haq, DSP Khurram planned an unlawful encounter along with Waheed, Tariq and ASI Zahid Haleem.

They all manipulated and executed this unlawful act. I hold them responsible for the unlawful killing of five persons.”

The judge noted that because of fear, Bashir, father of deceased Zaki, refused to provide any information to him (the judge).

“Bashir rather forgave the policemen in the name of Allah as the enmity and friendship of police is bad. Bashir said his two sons, one nephew and two sons of sister-in-law of his brother were killed during the encounter.”

Giving his recommendations, the judge noted that “to get rid of criminals and not crime is a sinister problem not yet solved, an enigma not yet unraveled. Eliminating them

(outlaws) will not solve the problem, let reform them by inculcating principles of life, morality and ethics.”