Police accused of protecting suspects

Murder victim's sisters allege delayed response, sabotaged investigation

LAYYAH:

Suspects in the alleged murder of a clinic owner in South Punjab, remain at large despite the passage of two and a half months since the crime.

Syed Anees Panjatan was allegedly tortured and killed by his wife, son and several close relatives at his home in the Mangadotha area of Tehsil Taunsa, Dera Ghazi Khan.

The murder, which was initially staged to appear as a heart attack, has sparked outrage and protests.

During a press conference at the District Press Club in Layyah, Panjatan's sisters Aqeela Sajjad and Ansiyah Sajjad detailed the events leading up to their brother's death. They claimed that their brother was lured back to his home by his daughter under the pretence of celebrating her birthday.

"Upon arrival, he was ambushed and brutally beaten by his family members and their accomplices. The deceased's driver, Irshad alias Shade, who was alerted by a friend of Panjatan during the attack, arrived at the scene but was turned away by Panjatan's son, who was covered in blood," Aqeela said. She said despite the driver's attempts to involve the police, law enforcement arrived two hours later, by which time the perpetrators had fled.

The police initially filed a case against unidentified suspects, allegedly colluding with the accused by making one of the killers the plaintiff in the FIR.

A post-mortem report later revealed that Panjatan had suffered 22 major injuries, including broken ribs, a fractured neck, and signs of strangulation, clearly indicating that he had been tortured to death.

The sisters of the deceased have accused their brother-in-law, SP Azhar Shah of the Balochistan Police, of using his influence to prevent the arrest of the accused and to tamper with the investigation.

Despite these efforts, the police have only arrested two individuals in connection with the case, both of whom were repeatedly identified by Panjatan's sisters.

SHO Ahsanullah Chandia of the City Police Station has stated that the investigation is ongoing and that the case will be pursued on merit.

Panjatan's sisters have announced that they will commit suicide in front of the Chief Minister's office if justice is not served, further escalating the tension surrounding the case.

Sources close to the family have revealed that Panjatan had a previous marriage and children, whom he wished to include in his will—an act reportedly opposed by his current wife and children, leading to his death.