Cops booked for killing dairy trader in capital

Traders protest against alleged police encounter, block Kashmir Highway

ISLAMABAD:

A case was registered against policemen after the killing of a trader in an alleged encounter in the Shams Colony police jurisdiction on Saturday.

The policemen were booked after traders and relatives of the deceased trader staged a five-hour-long protest on Kashmir Highway while placing the body on the road. The traders called off their protest after the FIR was registered against the police officers.

The dairy trader, Imran Shahid Tarar, was killed on Kashmir Highway in what police claimed an encounter. Rabeel Haider, who was said to be the helper of the victim trader, was injured in the alleged police encounter.

According to the FIR, the police officers opened fire on Imran Shahid Tarar and Rabeel despite their repeated plea with the policemen that they were businessmen. According to the FIR, the policemen did not listen to them and shot one dead and seriously injured another.

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Earlier, the deceased’s brother-in-law lodged a complaint with the Shams Colony police that Imran, along with Rabeel, was going to a nearby petrol pump on Kashmir Highway on a motorcycle when the Islamabad police personnel opened fire at them.

Owing to the firing, Imran died on the spot while his employee sustained injuries.

Earlier, the traders blocked the Kashmir Highway for several hours and refused to disperse despite the assurance of police top officials.

In the meantime, a spokesperson of the Islamabad police said that the Eagle Squad was informed by a man about a robbery incident. The Eagle Squad respondsed and reached the scene.

The robbers opened fire as soon as the police team reached the scene; the spokesperson said adding that one passerby was injured by the firing of robbers. The robbers fled taking advantage of the darkness, he said, adding that police teams have been formed to arrest the fleeing robbers. The accused will soon be arrested and brought to book.

Interestingly, the police spokesperson was silent on the death of the trader in the alleged police encounter that took place on broad day light.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 5^th, 2021.