PHOTO: FILE
The Inspector General of Islamabad Police, meanwhile, has promised action against the two officials.
Early on Friday morning, Constable Samiullah Niazi and Tariq were manning a check post on the IJP Road in Sector I-10/1 when a car with Taimur Riaz and a girl approached. Police say the officials signalled the car to stop. But when the car did not stop, Niazi allegedly opened fire, killing Taimur.
“He [constable Niazi] fired three bullets, one of which struck Taimur in the back of his head and he died on the spot,” according to a complaint lodged by the victim’s family.
Police registered an FIR against the two police officers, who have been missing since the incident.
On Saturday, officials said that they had launched raids in several parts of the city to trace the two cops. A police officer said that seven teams had been constituted to nab the two officials.
However, police had made no concrete progress by Saturday evening.
The official added that Niazi and the other constable Tariq, were part of the Eagle squad on motorcycle patrol near the checkpost. However, officials are unclear whether Niazi had opened fire from a stationary position at the checkpost or if he and his colleague had given chase to the fleeing car first.
The 26-year-old automobile salesman, who was married, was buried in Peerwadhai graveyard on Friday evening.
Meanwhile, the girl accompanying Taimur had recorded her statement with the police. She said that she was in a relationship with Taimur for over a year. She added that she had come to Islamabad to spend time with Taimur and the two had also booked a room in Rawalpindi that day.
Police claimed the victim and the girl both were inebriated at the time of the incident.
Meanwhile, Inspector General of Islamabad Police Tariq Masood Yasin said that the absconding officers would be brought to justice.
In a Facebook post, Yasin offered his condolences to Taimur’s family.
“As our policy is never to allow such type of police response, we immediately registered an FIR against the suspected police officers,” he said, adding, “I assure you that the officer who resorted to senseless use of his weapon will be taken to task.”
“I further assure you that the investigation in this case will be to the entire satisfaction of all of you,” Yasin wrote.
The inspector general further said that police would ensure that such ‘ruthless use of force’ is not repeated ever again.
He, however, defended his force, reminding that two police officers manning a checkpost in the same area short while ago had been shot a dead when they tried to check a car.
“We cannot disarm ourselves and we cannot leave citizens at the mercy of criminals. However, we have to train our men to learn to control their nerves and to control their weapon.”
Published in The Express Tribune, February 5th, 2017.
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