Fresh FIR filed in lawyer's 'encounter' case

VEHARI:

A major development has emerged in the case of the alleged police encounter in Machiwal police precincts that resulted in the death of Advocate Zeeshan.

Following strong accusations by the legal community and the victim's family, a cross-version FIR has now been registered against the police party involved in the incident.

The cross-version was lodged on the complaint of Safia Bibi, mother of the deceased Advocate Zeeshan. The FIR, registered under sections 302, 324, 353, 440, 148, 149 and AO 13.2(a) 20/65, names SHO Rai Sajid, ASI Junaid Bhatti, ASI Muhammad Ashraf, and 11 other police officials.

The cross-version alleges that the police forcibly entered the house and opened fire without justification, killing Advocate Zeeshan and another man, Husnain, on the spot. The FIR states that the act was driven by personal grudge rather than lawful policing.

According to the complainant, a verbal clash had occurred a few months earlier at the Vehari courts between Advocate Zeeshan and SHO Rai Sajid, which, she claims, led to this "extreme step" taken by the police.

The police had already registered an FIR a day earlier, claiming that the deaths occurred during an exchange of fire in an encounter, insisting that the suspects shot at the police first.

However, the filing of the cross-version has changed the direction of the investigation, compelling authorities to re-examine all aspects of the incident from scratch.

Police officials say a transparent investigation will be conducted.