Sahiwal killings initial report places blame on CTD officials

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LAHORE: The initial Joint Investigation Team (JIT) report of the Sahiwal killings has placed the blame on Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) officials who opened fire, sources informed Geo News on Monday.

According to sources, the operation was carried out on information received by CTD. The report states that the CTD, in this case, showed negligence and a case should be lodged for this against officials.

Sources further state that the operation in Sahiwal was carried out under CTD Sub-Inspector Safdar Hussain while others involved include Ahsan Khan, Muhammad Ramzan, Saifullah and Hasnain Akbar.

Earlier, Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar announced that the JIT would submit its report by 5 PM on Tuesday.

On Saturday, four people – including three members of a family – were killed in an alleged encounter in Sahiwal. CTD personnel said they had killed a local commander of militant organisation Daesh and three others in the operation. Eyewitnesses, however, disputed the claim and said the people in the car did not fire at officials, nor were any explosives recovered from the vehicle.

The dead included a man, his wife and their teenage daughter, as well as the driver of the car who, according to the CTD, was involved in terrorist acts.

Meanwhile, the observers have raised objections over the conduct of JIT investigators on the case, due to not taking into consideration important pieces of evidence. 

The investigators have not yet called forensic experts at the site of the incident to look at what weapon was used and from what direction in the shoot out. 

Questions have also raised on why the authorities failed to cordon off the crime scene.The eyewitnesses' testimony on the case was not taken into account as they refused to visit the authorities at the police line.