Khalil’s kin calls for judicial commission

Requests LHC to restrain existing JIT from further investigation

LAHORE: A member of the victim family has challenged in the Lahore High Court (LHC) formation of a joint investigation team (JIT) probing into the January 17 Sahiwal incident and called for formation of a judicial commission in view of non-serious attitude of the government.

Muhammad Jalil, brother of Khalil who was gunned down along with his wife and a teenage daughter in the brutal ‘encounter’, approached the LHC on Thursday and requested the court to restrain the JIT from further investigation.

The petitioner through his counsel implored the court that after the ‘fake encounter’ a false FIR was registered to declare the victims as terrorists. However, another FIR was lodged against the personnel of the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) after strong public protest.

He said even in the second FIR the facts were distorted to favour to the real culprits so that they could escape conviction. He said since top official of the law enforcement agencies (LEAs) are also ‘involved’ in the killings, the JIT made by the government lacks capacity to reach a just decision.

Jalil said even ministers have been changing their statements on the incident that shows their connivance and lack of will to dispense justice to the victims’ family.

He contended that no recovery has been made so far from the arrested CTD personnel. This, he said, reflected apathy on part of the JIT and their desire to favour the culprits. “The JIT has also failed to provide even a copy of police file to him (Jalil) despite repeated requests.”



He argued that formation of a judicial commission is critical owing to non-seriousness of the government to provide justice to the victims. “I urge the court to declare formation of the JIT illegal and restrain it from investigating the matter.”

The petitioner also asked the court to issue an order for the constitution of a judicial commission under section 3 of Punjab Tribunals of Inquiry Ordinance 1969 or under section 3 of Pakistan Commissions of Inquiry Act 2017 to dig out facts of the Sahiwal incident.