ISLAMABAD  -   An in-camera meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Interior Thursday decided that relatives of the victims of Sahiwal shooting would be invited to its next meeting to have their version on the action taken so far by the Punjab government against the police officials.

The meeting that was held in the chair of Senator Rehman Malik also decided that the public representatives of the area surrounding Punjab’s district Sahiwal would also be invited to the next meeting to have their input on the incident. The public representatives will include member of the National Assembly, member of the provincial assembly and representatives of local bodies concerned.

Senators Azam Khan Swati, Dr Waseem Shahzad, Asad Ali Khan Junejo and Shafiq Tareen attended the meeting that discussed various aspects of the investigations conducted so far on the meeting. The meeting decided that committee will meet again today (Friday) over the tragic incident. The committee will soon submit its report to the Senate over the matter as directed by Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani.

On January 19, Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) of Punjab Police had killed four people including three members of a family on the suspicion of having links with terrorists. A report of the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) later said that the three family members were innocent.

On Wednesday, Senator Rehman Malik in a second letter, after the incident, written to the Ministry of Interior has raised 41 questions over the incident and has sought a comprehensive report from Secretary Interior over it. He had also directed that the JIT report shall be placed before the committee for examination. The letter sought that information should be provided to the committee on 41 questions till January 25.

Regarding CTD, the letter sought to provide the complete organisational, administrative and legal structure of the department, and the name of DIG/SP concerned who headed this particular operation? It said to furnish a complete record of CTD how Zeeshan, the person killed in the shooting, was emerged as suspected terrorist. “Whether there was any intelligence report, if so, the said report may also be made part of this report,” it said. It sought to provide the telephone data of the officers, who took part in the operation. It sought the CTD’s entire communication record /logbook of the day of incident and following day.

Regarding Zeeshan, who was dubbed as a facilitator of terrorists by the police, the letter questioned which officer was assigned to monitor his activities and which officer was designated to investigate the deceased? It sought to provide the date of initiating inquiry against him along with the daily progress report showing activities of Zheeshan. “Was any statement of Zeeshan recorded by the investigating officer else,” Senator Malik questioned. He also sought telephonic record of his cell phone data and his geo-locations/ movements for the last one month? “Is there any other criminal record or cases ever registered against the deceased by police,” he questioned.

About the victim family, Malik sought relationship of deceased Khalil with Zeeshan.

With regard to the encounter, the letter questioned who authorized the inquiry on receipt of intelligence report against Zeeshan? Who authorized and assigned the duties on this particular case and what measures were taken in the morning to proceed with the matter? “Who was the source which had confirmed that there were two suicidal jackets, prohibited bore weapons in the car and were these recovered?”

The letter also said that in-charge of the said operation and the individuals should be given a fair chance to tell the truth and the circumstances according to their judgment of the incident and sought: “What is their defence in support of this encounter?”