‘Killed’ by a Ranger: Too many complainants complicate the case

Family of the deceased reject wife’s FIR, saying that they want to register their own.

KARACHI:

The domestic dispute between a husband and wife, which ended after a Rangers's personnel intervened and opened fire on Friday, became a case of kidnapping on Saturday after the wife backed the Rangers' version, saying that her husband was trying to kidnap her.

In the FIR registered under her name, Shafia disclosed that not only was her deceased husband, Zeeshan, trying to kidnap her, but was accompanied by 15 to 16 other men - both points that she failed to mention in her earlier statements. Meanwhile, Zeeshan still hasn't been buried as his family has 'rejected' the wife's FIR, saying that they are the rightful complainants and will register a separate case. The police, however, have told them that there is 'no room' for another FIR.

Zeeshan, 30, was allegedly shot by a Rangers' personnel in the Nagan Chowrangi area, following which large protests were held against the ‘extrajudicial killing’. The paramilitary force maintained that they opened fire with the intent to injure the husband as they suspected that he was trying to kidnap his estranged wife. An FIR No 84/14 under Sections 365, 511 and 337-H and 319, was registered at the New Karachi police station late Friday night on the complaint of the deceased's wife, Shafia. "My husband, along with his 15 to 16 men, was trying to abduct me. They even beat me up and that is when one of the Rangers opened fire," the complainant told the police in the FIR.

"The sections of accident by murder, kidnapping and torture were placed in the FIR," said DSP Fayyaz of New Karachi, adding, "There is no room for another FIR."

As reports started circulating that the Rangers pressured the police into registering a case in their favour, the spokesperson of the paramilitary force termed them ‘absurd and unacceptable’.

"No official of ours has or will try to influence any agency. The Pakistan Rangers, Sindh believes and strives for the rule of law," he said.

"Keeping the law of the land supreme as spelled out in the Constitution is the responsibility of every citizen and institution. Sensationalism and distorting facts for ulterior motives and television ratings should be discouraged as it is against the national interest."

Protests to continue

Zeeshan's family along with hundreds of other people held a protest outside the New Karachi police station as well as in Nagan Chowrangi. Only policemen were deployed at the protests for security and even those Rangers personnel deployed at the Siddiq-e-Akbar Masjid on main Nagan Chowrangi were called back by the authorities.

"We will not bury Zeeshan until we get the justice," said the deceased's sister. "Our only demand is to register a case against the Rangers and Shafia as she is also responsible for my brother's killing."

Zeeshan's mother lamented that the police took the family to the Sir Syed police station where they made them wait for three hours. "The police assured us that they will register our FIR but after three hours, they asked us to go back, saying that the FIR has already been registered at the New Karachi police station," she said.

Police officials privy to the matter told The Express Tribune that the sections placed in the FIR would provide an advantage to the arrested soldier, adding that a second FIR could also be registered. "The police can register a new case by changing the first FIR into 'C class'. It can also add the statement by Zeeshan's family by adding a supplementary statement in the first FIR. The third option is the registration of a new FIR on the court's directions."

Published in The Express Tribune, March 2^nd, 2014.