Cops’ shooter among four killed in encounter
A suspected sharpshooter and alleged member of the banned militant group Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Faizan Butt, who was involved in three attacks on police officials in Lahore within a week, was killed along with three other terrorists during an encounter with the Counter-Terrorism Department.
The suspect was killed in an encounter in Karol Ghatti on Sunday night.
Faizan had shot dead a sub-inspector and a constable after following them when they were going home. He had also shot and injured a police constable.
According to officials, the suspect spotted unarmed police officials in uniform. He roamed in the city, found targets, pursued them, and shot them on finding an opportunity.
Using a pen camera, he recorded the attacks, ensuring that the victim was dead before leaving. He then sent the recordings to his handlers as proof.
Several cases of display of arms and aerial firing were registered against him in multiple police stations.
According to sources, he had earlier been detained from a housing society.
Initial investigations suggested that the suspect was frustrated because the CTD had registered a case against him following an IBO.
The CTD had received information that he had contacted some people in an area to help him join a militant organisation. He had been picked up and interrogated, but released upon failure to find substantial evidence against him.
After some time, the CTD had registered a case against him for carrying explosives, planning a terrorist attack.
Faizan was sent to prison, where he met a jailed leader of a banned sectarian outfit who helped him getting released on bail by proving him Rs500,000. With the connivance of the leader, he had gone to the tribal areas where undertook firing practice.
He also visited Afghanistan where he had meetings with TTP leaders who assigned him the task of killing six policemen to get membership of the banned group and promised to pay him Rs600,000.
The suspect revealed that the banned group had arranged a 30-bore and a 9mm pistol for the killings.
Faizan's father was a manager in a factory and lived in Shadbagh. His mother had separated from him and lived in the private housing society.
A spokesperson said a CTD team took arrested terrorists to Karol Jungle for seizure of weapons. A pistol and two grenades were seized by the team.
Meanwhile, about six terrorists opened fire on the police, as a result, four of the terrorists were shot dead by the firing of their accomplices while three managed to escape.
The police seized two Kalashnikovs and a pistol from the spot, he said.
The spokesman said the identification of three other deceased was under way and a search operation had been launched to arrest the fleeing terrorists.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 13th, 2024.