Alleged encounter: Judicial commission to investigate
LHC Rawalpindi bench disposes of petition filed by mother of two slain brothers
LHC Rawalpindi bench disposes of petition filed by mother of two slain brothers. PHOTO: FILE
RAWALPINDI:
The Lahore High Court’s Rawalpindi bench on Tuesday declared that a judicial commission would probe an alleged police encounter by RA Bazaar police around a month ago which left two brothers dead.
Justice Qazi Muhammad Amin of the LHC, while disposing of a petition filed by the mother of the two brothers, Balqis Akhtar, observed that a judicial commission duly formed by LHC chief justice would hold an inquiry into the allegations that the two brothers had been killed in a fake encounter.
Waseem Anwarul Haq and Muhammad Irfan had been killed on February 22 following an alleged exchange of fire with the police. RA Bazaar police said that the two had opened fire on them while they were raiding their house looking for their younger brother, wanted in motorbike theft case. The family, however, disputed the claim.
Advocate Malik Sajid Awan, counsel for Akhtar, told The Express Tribune that the mother of the two brothers had filed a petition asking the high court to direct Saddar Berooni police to register a murder case against RA Bazaar police officials responsible for the death of the two men.
He added that during Tuesday’s hearing, the court observed that if a murder case was registered against the police officials, the investigators may give them a clean chit. The lawyer stated that he then contended for a judicial probe since they had already filed an application with the LHC chief justice.
On court’s inquiry, a government prosecutor said that the chief justice had accepted Akhtar’s application for a judicial probe, Awan said. The court disposed of the petition with the observation that a judicial probe will be held in the case, the lawyer maintained.
Separately, the mother of the deceased brothers moved an application with the chief justice of Supreme Court for taking suo moto notice of killings of her son in a fake encounter.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 29th, 2017.
The Lahore High Court’s Rawalpindi bench on Tuesday declared that a judicial commission would probe an alleged police encounter by RA Bazaar police around a month ago which left two brothers dead.
Justice Qazi Muhammad Amin of the LHC, while disposing of a petition filed by the mother of the two brothers, Balqis Akhtar, observed that a judicial commission duly formed by LHC chief justice would hold an inquiry into the allegations that the two brothers had been killed in a fake encounter.
Waseem Anwarul Haq and Muhammad Irfan had been killed on February 22 following an alleged exchange of fire with the police. RA Bazaar police said that the two had opened fire on them while they were raiding their house looking for their younger brother, wanted in motorbike theft case. The family, however, disputed the claim.
Advocate Malik Sajid Awan, counsel for Akhtar, told The Express Tribune that the mother of the two brothers had filed a petition asking the high court to direct Saddar Berooni police to register a murder case against RA Bazaar police officials responsible for the death of the two men.
He added that during Tuesday’s hearing, the court observed that if a murder case was registered against the police officials, the investigators may give them a clean chit. The lawyer stated that he then contended for a judicial probe since they had already filed an application with the LHC chief justice.
On court’s inquiry, a government prosecutor said that the chief justice had accepted Akhtar’s application for a judicial probe, Awan said. The court disposed of the petition with the observation that a judicial probe will be held in the case, the lawyer maintained.
Separately, the mother of the deceased brothers moved an application with the chief justice of Supreme Court for taking suo moto notice of killings of her son in a fake encounter.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 29th, 2017.