54 murdered in one month in Faisalabad division
The law and order situation in Faisalabad region is spiraling beyond the control of the police. In one month, 54 people, including the former Bar President, were killed. Police officers continued to take action against the accused, while citizens and civil society expressed concern over the killings in Faisalabad.
In 2022, 369 people, including 78 women, were killed and 23 people, including a woman, lost their lives after being shot by suspects while resisting robbery. During the last three months of 2022, the RPO, CPO and DPOs were shuffled four times across the region, yet law and order continued to deteriorate.
In January 2023, a total of 54 people were killed within the limits of 80 police stations in Faisalabad, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh, and Chiniot. Among the dead were former District Bar Association president Chaudhry Naveed Mukhtar Ghuman and his driver Binyamin near the Mosque in the Goal Masjid area of Police Station Batala Colony.
Additionally, 60-year-old Buta, 40-year-old Qaisar and 45-year-old Sarfraz Kumboh were also killed. Separately, 3 persons were killed in the area of Razabad Police Station and two each were killed within the limits of Saddar, Nishatabad, Saddar Jaranwala, City, Samandari, Rodala and Roshanwala.
Similarly, 10 people were killed in other incidents, including a double murder, within the limits of twelve police stations in Toba Tek Singh. Seven people were killed in the jurisdiction of fourteen police stations in Jhang district, while 4 people were killed within the areas of ten police stations of Chiniot district.
Around 49 FIRs were registered by the police in response to the aforementioned incidents.
Along with frequent changes within the Punjab government, four RPOs were posted in Faisalabad division. Dr Abid Khan was appointed as the fifth RPO. Additionally, five CPOs were shuffled in Faisalabad district, with Syed Khalid Mahmood Hamdani taking command most recently.
The law and order situation in Faisalabad has worsened due to the frequent reshuffling of senior officers over three months, while citizens are increasingly insecure due to increasing incidents of robbery and murder.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 2nd, 2023.