IG Punjab assures LHC there will be no fake encounter next

Inspector General of Punjab Police Dr Usman Anwar appeared in Lahore High Court and assured the court that there will be no fake encounters in future while the Lyton Road encounter case has been referred to FIA for further investigation, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

LHC Justice Ali Zia Bajwa heard the case on the application of Farzana Bibi. Justice Ali Zia Bajwa while talking to the IG Punjab said that “if someone fires one shot at you, you have the right to fire two shots at him, if someone shoots, you can shoot two shots, the court will not stop you (police) on this, if police hold fake encounter, then court will take interest in it, you (IGP) have been called for a policy statement, because these two DIGs are not in a position to give a policy statement”.

The IGP told the court that “many of our youths have been martyred in police encounters”. Justice Ali Zia Bajwa told the IG Punjab that this was the work of the operations department and could not be handled by the investigation department. The IGP must assure the court that there will be no fake police encounters in future.

After the break, when the hearing resumed, DIG Investigation Zeeshan Asghar, DIG Operations Faisal Kamran, Secretary Specialized Health Ali Jan and other officers appeared in the court. The Health Secretary assured the court that he would take departmental action against the doctors who showed negligence in the post-mortem reports.

SHO Anarkali Javed Qureshi gave the details of the alleged police encounter but could not satisfy the court. Assistant Advocate General Punjab said that now the matter of alleged police encounter has been sent to FIA for further investigation. After hearing the statement of the IG Police and Secretary Health, the court disposed of the case.

Reporter: Malik Ashraf