ISLAMABAD, Jan 29 (APP):The Senate Standing Committee on Interior Tuesday wrote a letter to Prime Minister to form a Judicial Commission on Sahiwal incident so as to provide justice to victim families.
The Senate Committee convened a special meeting where
victims families were also invited to present their statements
and viewpoints.
Senator Rehman Malik chaired the meeting which was also
attended by Senator Javed Abbasi, Senator Mian Muhammad
Ateeq Shaikh, Senator Haji Momin Khan Afridi, Senator Kauda
Babar, Senator Kalsoom Parveen, Senator Azam Khan Swati, Senator
Shehzad Waseem, Senator Asad Junejo, Secretary Interior,
senior officers from Ministry of Interior (MOI), Federal
Investigation Agency (FIA) and Islamabad police.
The Committee members and victims families, having
consensus on formation of Judicial Commission, asked the Prime
Minister, who is also Minister for Interior to announce a Commission
on Sahiwal incident, headed by Judges of High Court, so that
those responsible of the horrible incident could be taken to task.
Rehman Malik said Chairman Senate in a ruling had
directed the Committee to probe, fix responsibility, suggest plan
to check such incidents in future and also plan to look after children
of victim families of Sahiwal incident.
Senator Rehman Malik was of the view that the police
cannot be given license to kill and even if there was evidence
against them. The Committee must be given a reason for them
not be arrested instead.
“It is alarming situation that how lawlessly unarmed
civilians were killed in day light by Punjab Police on main
highway in front of dozens citizens around,” he said and
added that all questions submitted to Punjab Police and
Ministry of Interior must be responded to in detail.
The Chairman said the Committee has presented an
interim report in Upper House while final report in this
respect would be submitted soon.
Condemning the incident, Rehman Malik said Islam equates
unjustified killing of one person with killing of entire humanity
and added three family members were shot dead by
Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD).
He termed the Sahiwal incident as painful and said
the Standing Body had asked 41 questions from Ministry of
Interior and government of Punjab, out of which some were
answered.
The family members of four people killed during alleged
encounter by Counter Terrorism Department in Sahiwal appeared
before the Committee and recorded their statements.
They were brought to Islamabad from Lahore by
official transport which was provided by Senate Secretariat.
Family members of Sahiwal incident demanded
formation of a judicial commission to probe the killing. They
said that they are dissatisfied with joint investigation team
probing the incident.
“I have come to Islamabad with hope of getting justice,”
said the mother of Zeeshan, the car driver who was killed in
the incident.
Mother of Zeeshan said her son was doing a computer
business and was the sole bread earner for the family.
She said, “It is quite surprising for me, he (Zeeshan) has
been allegedly declared terrorist. He was leading a peaceful life
and never involved in any terrorist activity. I just want that
Zeeshan should not be declared as terrorist.”
On the other hand, Khalil’s brother Jalil said that they
were allegedly receiving threats and demanded security.
Khalil along with his wife and daughter were among the four killed
in the tragedy.
Rehman Malik said the statements of bereaved families
would be made part of official record of the investigations.
