Five robbers killed in Okara encounter
Operations conducted after two policemen killed by bandits during encounter. PHOTO: REUTERS
Four alleged robbers who had been on the run after having martyred a sub-inspector were killed in an alleged police encounter in the limits of Shah Bhore Police Station on Tuesday afternoon.
According to DPO Furqan Bilal, Sub-Inspector Sarwar Akram, in charge of the Farid Nagar Chowki in Pakpattan, had been martyred and two other policemen injured when they came under attack by the robbers in Pakpattan in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
Sub-Inspector Sarwar Akram and his colleagues had intercepted the robbers after they had looted a wedding party. In the exchange of fire, Sarwar embraced martyrdom while two of his associates sustained injuries. One bandit was killed in retaliatory fire while six other bandits fled towards Yusufwala area of Sahiwal.
Police teams from Pakpattan and Sahiwal mounted a chase to get the culprits. In the meantime, the fugitives entered the jurisdiction of Shah Bhore Police Station in Okara from Sahiwal.
On receiving this information, DPO Furqan Bilal sent a heavy police force to Shah Bhore area to arrest the bandits.
Upon seeing the police party, the robbers entered a nearby agriculture farm where they took positions and started firing at the police party. On retaliatory fire by the police, four robbers were killed, but two of their accomplices escaped.
To arrest the bandits who had escaped, DPO Farqan Bilal cordoned off the entire district and formed different teams.
The bodies of the dead robbers were shifted to the DHQ Hospital under the supervision by the SHO of Shah Bhore Police Station.
Police also recovered a huge amount of looted goods, gold ornaments and weapons from the possession of the dead robbers.According to DPO Furqan Bilal, the dead robbers had not been identified yet. The funeral prayers of Shaheed Sub-Inspector Mohammad Sarwar Akram of Pakpattan Police was offered at the DPO Office in Pakpattan
A large number of officials, including the RPO of Sahiwal and the DPO of Pakpattan, attended the funeral prayers. Muhammad Sarwar Akram Shaheed will be buried with official honours in his native area of Qubola Sharif in Arifwala.
Muhammad Sarwar Akram Shaheed’s father had retired from the Pakistan Army as a Naik.
Muhammad Sarwar Akram left behind an elderly mother, a widow and a two-year-old son.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 12th, 2022.