Sahiwal killings: Post-mortem report reveals 13yo Areeba shot from close distance

LAHORE: Teenage girl Areeba, who was gunned down along with her parents in an alleged encounter, was shot at six times from a close distance, the post-mortem report revealed on Monday.

On January 19, four people were killed in Sahiwal by the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) personnel, who alleged they had killed a local commander of militant organisation Daesh and three others in the operation.

Geo News today obtained the post-mortem reports of the deceased, which revealed that the gunned down people were shot at 34 times from a close distance.

The teenage girl received four bullets within a nine-cm patch on her upper body, which also singed her skin due to close distance.

The intensity of the bullets broke Areeba’s ribcage too, stated the report.

The woman, Nabeela, received four bullets, out of which one went through her head.

Mohammad Khalil got shot at 11 times and one bullet pierced his head too, said the report.

It further said that driver Zeeshan got 13 bullets and the bullet which hit his head caused bones to stick out of skin.

According to the report of the wounded children, six-year-old girl Muneeba’s hand didn’t get hurt by window glass but a bullet pierced it.

The report said that another child Umair was hit in his calf by a bullet.

Earlier today it emerged, the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) which is probing the ‘fake encounter’ is finding it difficult to record eyewitness statements.

The lawyer representing family members of Khalil has alleged that CTD officers are still trying to save their colleagues. Shahbaz Bukhari informed reporters that members of Khalil’s family including his brother were receiving death threats.

“CCPO Lahore has been informed of the threats and family members have also told the JIT about life threats,” Bukhari said.

In the killings which sparked national outrage, eyewitnesses disputed the claim of the CTD officials and said the people in the car did not fire at officials, nor were any explosives recovered from the vehicle.

The initial report of the JIT has found CTD officials responsible for the death of the family members who had no links to terrorism. Five CTD officials have been charged with the murder of the family. The JIT has requested for additional time to investigate the background of Zeeshan the driver of the vehicle.