Mystery shrouds four murders of a family

LAHORE:Owing to massive flaws in the course of evidence collection, Investigation Wing of Lahore police including CIA Civil Lines have badly failed to trace out the killers of four members of a family, who were brutally murdered at their home in the Green Town police precincts on March 08, 2020, despite the lapse of over two years.

A 16-year-old boy named Abuzar, 17, his two teenage sisters Khansa, 16, Atiqa, 12, and their father Ishaq, all residents of House No 315-E New Punjab Society Phase-II Green Town, were shot dead at their home by two unknown suspects at around 9:35 p.m.

The victim Ishaq’s wife Shagufta, who was in kitchen at the time of incident, and his son Urwa, 20, who received bullet injury but succeeded to lock himself in bathroom, were the only survivors in the family. A 3-year-old baby girl, who was in the lap of victim Abuzar, had also survived the attack as Abuzar had thrown her in the neighboring house.

Urwa told this correspondent that he had asked his brother Abuzar to park the car inside home when the attackers approached them and resorted to straight firing. As a result, Abuzar received 13 bullets and died on the spot while he received one bullet and rushed to the drawing room and hid himself in the bathroom.

The killers then attacked on his father who was standing in the corridor along with him. Then they opened firing at his two sisters who were studying in the TV lounge. His mother was in the kitchen and she hid herself behind the boxes.

As the attackers left the house, Urwa after some time contacted his friend and told him about the incident. His friend reached the site and informed police.

Sources told The News that Operations and Investigation wings of Lahore police reached the scene but failed to collect forensic evidences soon after the incident, which made the blind murders further hard to trace out the killers.

Police also failed to trace out a car, which was used by the handlers of killers. It was spotted in a camera of Safe City but police failed to link the chain of its movement.

Soon after the registration of FIR (465/20), the investigation Incharge and Investigation Officer of Green Town police failed to collect interlinking CCTVs from Safe City Authority and private installations. They also showed lethargy in working efficiently on CDRs and geo-fencing rather wasted first important month after the incident to trace out the killers and motive behind killing due to the reasons best known to both of them and their bosses. This lapse resulted into the unavailability of CCTVs from Safe City as the Authority keeps data for only one month due to huge influx of CCTVs from across the provincial metropolis.

Police also avoided recording statement of an eyewitness who witnessed the entire episode while standing at the balcony of house. Police picked up four suspects during the initial investigations but they were also released after allegedly taking bribe on the intervention of a local goon.

After one month or so, the investigation of the case was verbally given to CIA Civil Lines as there were no official orders till December 2o21. So the investigation of the case was hanged in the balance for over one and a half year.

The Investigation Wing of Green Town police station thought it was with CIA Civil Lines while the latter took it half-heartedly as they had no official orders. In this way, Investigation Wing of Lahore Police spoiled forensic evidences which gave killers benefit to a great extent. Sub Inspector Ayub of CIA Civil Lines talking to The News said there is no major breakthrough in the case so far.

However, he said the investigations are underway and they have been investigating the incident keeping in view all aspects. He confirmed that CIA Civil Lines received the investigation of this case in the last months of 2021 saying the delay has resulted into tough situation to trace the killers.

About a suspect in custody, he said he is a criminal minded person with criminal record but he was also a drug addict, which is a big hurdle in applying all ‘investigation methods’. However, sources claimed that he was the brother of a stage actress and using her influence to avoid proper interrogation.

SI Ayub further said CIA police have interrogated a number of suspects but could not get sufficient solid evidences so far. He also confirmed that there was a great lapse in the collection of forensic evidences soon after the happening of the horrific incident.

DSP Nabi Baksh Butt of CIA Civil Lines told The News that the victim Ishaq, the head of the family, had so many personal and political issues and he had also been in jail for 14 years over the murder of a person.

He went on to say his two sons Urwa and Abuzar had also some scuffles with one Abdullah and Ameer Ali Shah over petty issues but police could not collect solid evidences against them over their involvement in the four murders.

He further told that only Ishaq’s wife and his son Urwa had survived in the incident. Police have also interrogated the case keeping in view property dispute in the family but to no avail so far.

It is learnt that CIA Police had also picked up Urwa’s cousin Tahir and subjected him to severe torture to know if the killings were due to some family/property dispute. As the Urwa was so young, he could not pursue the case keeping in view traditional norms of Thana culture, it helped killers remain scot-free till date.

A senior police officer, requesting anonymity, told this scribe that the victim Ishaq had couple of disputes in Begum Kot Shahdra but the investigators could not find clue about the involvement of his opponents in eliminating the family.

In Punjab Society house, the victim family had a dispute with a neibor Ameer Ali and his son Raj Ali, who had kept over 12 pet dogs at the rooftop of their house. Amir Ali and his son had also reportedly thrashed Urwa once over objection on keeping dogs. Ameer Ali had also resorted to firing at the home of victim family few months ahead of the incident.

The victim family had another dispute with one Sarim, who was the classmate of victim Abuzar, over hooting at her sister in academy. Sarim also called his friend Abdullah, the nephew of stage actress, and one Moazzam Khokhar and gave Abuzar good thrashing. Police have been working to know if the dispute with Sarim and Ameer Ali had resulted into the killings.

It is worth mentioning here that two important witnesses have died during the last years, who knew about the killers. The motive behind their deaths could also give police major breakthrough, sources claimed.