Three cops suspended for killing young man in ‘fake encounter’

Three policemen were suspended over the killing of a young man in an alleged encounter in the Quaidabad area.

Senior police officials took notice of the youth’s killing and suspended the cops after his relatives staged a protest and a video of the alleged fake encounter went viral. Alongside the suspension, an investigation under the Malir SP has also been initiated.

CCTV footage and a mobile phone video show the young man being taken by the cops, transported on a motorcycle, and then shot in his leg at a cemetery. Earlier on Monday night, the Qauidabad police had claimed that a young man, Atif Khan, was killed in a shoot-out.

The police had also claimed that they had seized a pistol from his possession. However, the videos show Khan being taken away by two police officers on a motorcycle. Following his killing in police custody, the relatives of the deceased youth protested outside the Malir Courts and in front of the District Malir SSP office.

The relatives demanded the arrest of the killers and criticised the misuse of police powers, calling for justice. In response, Malir SSP Aftab Abbasi appointed Malir Division SP Saeed Rind as the inquiry officer, directing him to identify the responsible individuals and submit a report.