ISLAMABAD - Condemning the tragic Sahiwal incident, Network for Human Rights and Justice demanded that a judicial commission should be formed to thoroughly investigate the widely-condemned incident involving police.
“We demand the government to form a judicial commission headed by a sitting judge to investigate the incident and to award exemplary punishment to those responsible for the deaths. We believe that Joint Investigation Team (JIT) will not fix any responsibility,” Zulqarnain Sulehria, chief executive officer (CEO) NHRJ told journalists on Tuesday outside Islamabad Press Club. Executive Director NHRJ Lubna Azad said that the entire nation was mourning the tragic incident and the government should swing into action to form judicial commission to bring the responsible to book.
Last Saturday, the officials of CTD and Elite Punjab police in what appears to be a fake encounter shot dead 4 persons, including parents Khalil and Nabeela, their teenage daughter, and neighbour Zeeshan. The tragic incident sent shock waves throughout the country as one of the couple’s 3 surviving children who were witness to the episode denied the official version in a video. The Punjab government had said that Zeeshan had links with ISIS and was working with terrorists while the slain persons were ‘collateral damage’. Soon after the incident, a JIT was formed to investigate the incident while an FIR was lodged against the CTD officials involved in the operation, who were all detained following directives by Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar.
Sulehria said that the JIT formed by the Punjab government would not properly investigate the matter to divulge truth and to hold the police personnel responsible that’s why he demanded formation of the judicial commission to probe the matter.
He demanded the prime minister and the Punjab chief minister to constitute a judicial commission to hold an independent inquiry into the incident.
Earlier, Prime Minister Imran Khan had assured the nation that strict action would be taken against the culprits responsible for the Sahiwal tragedy after he returns from Qatar. In a tweet, the prime minister stated that the grief and anger of the people of Pakistan on Sahiwal incident was understandable and justified.
Sulehria said that NHRJ was committed to ensure that every citizen regardless of race, colour, religion or ethnic background is able to enjoy his/her human rights without restrictions and fear for safety of their own well-being. He said that NHRJ had stood by the citizens and helped the vulnerable communities, refugees and prisoners obtain, enjoy and practice their human rights in hard times.