Four Muhafiz Squad cops booked for killing youth

Pirwadhai police say suspects taken into custody, probe under way

RAWALPINDI:

At least four personnel of the Muhafiz Squad – a tactical action group tasked with eliminating crimes from the garrison city – have been booked for allegedly killing a youth in the Bandh Gali area within the limits of the Pirwadhai Police Station.

The action, previously dubbed as a raid on a purported gambling den, is now being reported as a sham body-searching bid that resulted in the killing of the unarmed youth.

According to a spokesperson for the police, the maternal uncle of the victim while levelling the allegations against the squad members told the Pirwadhai police that he was standing in the street with his friends and nephews named Faisal Iqbal, Basit, and Muhammad Fayaz at around 10:30 pm on Friday when the police officials showed up on motorcycles and started conducting a random body search.

Afzal Ahmed, the complainant, further said soon situation got tense after an exchange of harsh words and a policeman later identified as Muhammad Shamrez fired gunshots with his pistol which hit the victim on the right side of the chest and he fell to the ground. He also said they shifted the injured to the Holy Family Hospital with the help of other bystanders but he succumbed to his injuries there.

The complainant claimed that more than four eyewitnesses present at the crime scene saw the accused opening straight gunfire at the deceased.

The other accused were later identified as Salahuddin, Arshad, and Saif, members of the said force.

Moreover, the spokesperson said a case of murder has been registered against the accused by the Pirwadhai police and the quartet has been named in the FIR.

On the other hand, the body of the deceased has been handed over to the heirs after completion of medico-legal formalities, he said and added that the deceased was laid to rest at a local cemetery.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 9^th, 2023.