Relatives of the deceased and other area locals placed the dead bodies on the road blocking the traffic for a good couple of hours. PHOTO: MUHAMMAD JAVAID/EXPRESS
Relatives of two deceased brothers blocked the IJP Road on Friday to protest their killing allegedly by the personnel of the elite force.
The two brothers, Malik Sajjad and Engineer Jamshed, were allegedly killed late on Thursday by the personnel of the elite force during a raid at their house at Feroze Lane opposite Holy Family Hospital Rawalpindi.
The protesters including the family members of the deceased and area people placed the dead bodies and stones on the road, uprooted electricity poles and burnt tyres causing traffic disruption.
They chanted slogans against the police and demanded of the government to arrest the culprits. They also demanded of the Chief Justice of Pakistan to take suo moto notice of the incident.
The protesters termed the incident an extra-judicial murder.
Malik Rahmat, father of the deceased brothers, while talking to The Express Tribune, alleged that his elder son Engineer Jamshed, was having dinner when some 12 to 15 personnel of the police elite force entered his home and started beating him.
Rahmat said that in the meanwhile, Jamshed, rushed to his rescue, but the police opened fire on him, which proved fatal.
He alleged that his second son, Malik Sajjad, a property dealer by profession, also became target of the firing, who ran towards the door for his life.
“The incident was so sudden and shocking that nobody could understand what had happened,” he said.
Tariq, a relative of the deceased, said the personnel also took 13-year old Sharjeel, a cousin of the deceased, “who dared to asked why they had killed his brothers”.
“The police took the bodies of the deceased with them only to return them Friday morning,” he said.
Nazim, one of the eye-witnesses and a colleague of Jamshed, told The Express Tribune that he was present on the spot when the police turned up and stormed Jamshed’s house.
“As Jamshed’s father opened the door, the police started indiscriminate fire on him (Jamshed) who had rushed towards the door, abandoning his dinner,” he said.
He said that the police released Sharjeel after Friday prayer on the order of chief city police officer.
“Jamshed, a chemical engineer by profession worked at the Baker Hughes, an American oil company. He was a thorough gentleman,” Nazim said.
When contacted, SP Rawal Chaudhry Muhammad Hanif claimed that the family had been sheltering terrorists, who were present in the house at the time of the raid.
“They first opened fire on the police, killing an ASI and injuring a constable,” he said.
He said that both the brothers were killed in the ensuing fire. He said, however, that the terrorists fled the house.
The protesters left the venue after the CCPO Kokhar Hameed, assured them that an inquiry into the incident would be initiated. The CCPO told the protesters that an FIR has been lodged against the police personnel.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 16th, 2013.
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This is extremely unfortunate and cruel story, first of all ruthlessly killing a shining Engineer of Pakistan and then covering up a murder by terrorism allegations. Very unfortunate, where is Pakistan going to?