‘Don of Sialkot’ killed in encounter

SIALKOT: A top ten notorious proclaimed offender (PO) Yasir alias Yasira was killed in encounter with Daska police in outskirts of Daska city here very early on Sunday morning.

He was notorious criminal called "the Don of Sialkot" and was bearing Rs. 1 million head money announced by the Punjab government, in this regard. He was on five days long physical remand given by the a magisterial courting Daska.

According to the FIR (No. 170/2012) lodged at Daska City police station under sections 225, 324, 353, 395 and 13/20/65 PPC, the police party was bringing the criminal Yasir Cheema alias Yasira to Daska city police station from Sambrial police station late at the last night (the night between Sunday and Monday), when as many as eight unknown armed accused riding in black coloured two cars halted the police vehicle carrying the sad criminal.

They mad hostage the police men on duty including Saif Ullah and Zahid Maqsud and snatched their official rifles. They opened firing on police due to which the police van was badly damaged. They also snatched the "the Don of Sialkot Yasir Cheema alias Yasira from police custody and managed to escape.

On the wireless call, the more contingent of police surrounded the areas, where the accused were fleeing by foot as their cars were punctured by the police firing. The accused took shelter there in the fields near Ludhey-Daska (in the outskirts of Daska city) and opened firing on the police. As the police retaliated, the fleeing top ten accused Yasira alias Yasira got serious injuries and died there on the spot. His accomplices fled away by firing in the air by dodging the police.

The police shifted the dead body y to Daska DHQ Civil Hospital for autopsy. A week ago on Feb 19, 2012, the Sialkot police had arrested "the Don of Sialkot", top ten proclaimed offender (PO) and hired killer Yasir Cheema alias Yasira from Daska after the six-year long struggle. The accused was also bearing Rs. 1 million head money, already announced by the Punjab government.

According to the Sialkot District Police Office (DPO) Syed Ali Mohsin, the accused Yasir was "The Don of Sialkot" and wanted by the Sialkot police in more than 200 cases of murder, abduction for ransom, money extortion, dacoity, murder during dacoity and other heinous natured cases.

The accused Yasir alias Yasira had been a sign of terror, as he had made the lives of local people including traders, well-off people, lawyers and even the journalists by demanding and collecting the huge amounts as extortion money (Jagga Tax).

Earlier, accused Yasir had been staying there in Dubai for the last six consecutive years on fake documents and under the fake name.

Don of Sialkot Yasir Cheema had been running his network in Pakistan especial in Sialkot region while staying there at Dubai, besides, having his well-organized firing squad, consisting the firing experts, who used to do firing at the houses of local traders, industrials and well-off people in Sialkot, Daska, Sambrial, Bhopalwala, Pasrur, Gujranwala and the surrounding areas.

Accused had been staying there in Dubai on fake documents including the Computerized National Identity Card (CNIC) issued by the NADRA Jhang based authorities, as his NADRA forms were attested by a local former UC Nazim. He had his name as Muhammad Yousaf there in Dubai. He was also getting the NADRA CNICs of his other companions, who were also staying with him in Dubai fir the last several years, the accused told the newsmen during the press conference.

Accused Yasir Cheema has also a valid identity card of a TV channel as its crime reporter and he also attended very sensitive press conferences of senior police officials, provincial and federal ministers in Lahore and Islamabad during the last few years, the accused added.

"I used to deal the extortion money matters directly with the convicts by telephone directly from Dubai", the accused was of the view. He was also an expert of using the advanced telecommunication systems, which he said, helped him a lot in running his network in Pakistan while staying there in Dubai.

He had come back to Pakistan a year ago and had been living in a coal mine of Malik Naeem near Chakwal in Pothohar Region. "The Don of Sialkot" and "SHO of Punjab" had been his knights and nicknames.