A police constable was killed during an armed encounter with proclaimed offenders in Faisalabad's Roshanwala area Monday, while the suspects managed to escape despite hours of search operations.
Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Rana Sajid Mehmood, along with constables Muhammad Moon, Farooq, Ashfaq Ahmed, and members of the Eagle Squad, raided Chak 236-RB Fatima Garden to arrest proclaimed offender Waseem, a resident of Renala Khurd, District Okara.
Upon spotting the police party, the suspects opened indiscriminate fire.
Constable Ashfaq Ahmed, a father of four, sustained critical bullet injuries.
He was being shifted to hospital but succumbed to his wounds en route.
His body was later moved to Faisalabad's police lines after post-mortem, where funeral prayers were offered.
He was laid to rest in his native village, Chak Jhumra, amid hundreds of mourners.
Following the incident, City Police Officer (CPO) Faisalabad Sahibzada Bilal Umar, SSP Operations Dr Bushra Jamil, SSP Investigations Nasir Mehmood Bajwa and SHO Roshanwala Inspector Abid Hussain Jutt rushed to the spot.
Police cordoned off the area and launched a massive search operation with large floodlights.
The exchange of fire with the outlaws continued for nearly four hours and lasted late into the night. However, the proclaimed offenders managed to flee after taking cover in nearby sugarcane fields.
Police sources revealed that the main suspect, Waseem, is a hardened criminal wanted in more than 49 cases of murder, attempted murder, robbery, theft, and illegal possession of weapons registered at police stations across Okara and Faisalabad districts since 2011.
Only three months ago, he was declared a fugitive in a murder case registered at Rodala Road Police Station for allegedly killing a man named Sadi.
The martyr, Constable Ashfaq Ahmed alias Mithu, was posted at Faisalabad's Sadar Police Station and resided at Makka City on Satiana Road.
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