Uncertain justice

While the family of the mother, father and teenage daughter killed in the Sahiwal police encounter in January this year continue to struggle for justice, as does the family of Zeeshan, the man driving the car, their quest is unlikely to be an easy one. The Counter Terrorism Department personnel, who carried out the killing by opening fire on the car, continue to deny they had acted wrongfully or hastily, with a long procedure likely to unfold in court. We cannot be certain that even after the end of this, there will be any justice. Certainly, in other cases of encounter killing, none has come. A few days ago, DIG Rai Tahir, who was removed from his job, was reinstated as additional inspector general of the CTD and it is unlikely the department will be anxious to accept responsibility for a case of murder.

Thiskeeps with past precedent. Other notorious police officers too have escaped scot-free for their acts of extrajudicial killing. The families of the Sahiwal victims will be hoping this changes. The case continues to make its way through the court system, with the testimony given by the ten-year-old son of the couple who died being brought under harsh question. The child has stated that his family was effectively gunned down by the police.

We need the security personnel responsible to be brought to justice. Until this happens, others will not be deterred from picking up their guns and shooting at will, regardless of the lives they take. There have been other such incidents across the country as well. We have also seen instances of people dying in cross-fire between the police and criminals. This includes the case of the girl killed in alleged crossfire between robbers and the police in Karachi. And how can one forget Naqeebullah Mehsud’s murder last year in Karachi, and many others like him. Rather than hailing Rai Tahir as a man known for his ruthlessness in going after terrorists, the Punjab government needs to make sure such fatal encounters do not take place again. Three young children were orphaned by the Sahiwal murders. They will live the remainder of their lives without parents. This tragedy could easily have been averted. We need much more effort to avoid a repetition in the future.