Fake encounter to save IGP?

ISLAMABAD The incident of killing a suspected suicide bomber by police in the Federal Capital on Sunday night was actually a fake police encounter and was engineered to establish good repute of cops, TheNation reliably learnt on Monday. The police high-ups, after the incident, had claimed to save the Capital from another devastating terrorist attack. The sources privy to the developments informed that the deceased, a suspected suicide bomber as claimed by police, had been in the custody of police for the last couple of days and was made a scapegoat only to defuse the prevailing impression that Capital Police were incapable to prevent terrorist attacks. The sources claimed that the deceased was arrested some days ago in a police raid at a house in the outskirts of the Capital during a routine search operation. The sources also disclosed that it might be possible that the deceased was involved in some terrorist activity or was a potential suicide bomber but he was under detention of police and shot dead in a fake encounter. The sources also informed that there was immense pressure on Inspector General of Police (IGP) Islamabad, Syed Kaleem Imam, from higher authorities after the consecutive three terrorist attacks on senior Army officials in the vicinity of the Capital. It is pertinent to mention here that Brigadier Moeen was shot dead as well as two other senior Army officials namely Brigadier Waqar and Brigadier Sohail were critically injured by terrorists in three different attacks. The news of the transfer of IGP was also heard from concerned quarters after the terrorist attack on Brigadier Sohail, as the law and order situation in the City was going from bad to worse despite installation of various police pickets and barricades. TheNation also learnt that IGP had been remained busy in the meetings for the last two days with the other top brass of Islamabad Police to defuse the immense pressure on him. A senior police officer working under the command of IGP suggested his boss to conduct a fake encounter of some suspected suicide bomber, which was acknowledged by the latter, the sources disclosed. Now the next was to accomplish the idea. For this, after detailed meetings with another senior police officer, Altaf Aziz Khattack, Station House Officer (SHO) Shalimar Police Station, was selected as a suitable and fit police officer to accomplish the task and thus, in this way, the script of the play was written under the guidance of IGP, the source revealed. After accomplishing the mission, the SHO through a private phone conveyed to the IGP that the mission was over and soon after that the news was disseminated to the electronic media where it was regarded as a great achievement of the Capital Police. A senior doctor at PIMS on condition of anonymity told that the deceased sustained seven bullet injuries, four on head and three on arm, according to initial post-mortem report. Another question that arises here is that all police officials were not professional shooters but still it is interesting that the four bullets hit the head of the alleged bomber and not a single one damaged the suicide jacket. Syed Kaleem Imam, when contacted, ruled out the possibility of any fake police encounter and said it was a genuine fight and the Islamabad police acted very wisely and boldly to foil a terrorist activity and, thus, saved the residents of the City from another bloodshed. He further said that any terrorist who would try to enter the Capital would be dealt with an iron hand.

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