News Desk |
Prime Minister Imran Khan has promised to reform the Punjab Police and has assured the nation of exemplary punishment for the Sahiwal incident culprits.
In a tweet this morning, PM Khan has said that the grief and anger of people on Sahiwal incident are understandable and justified.
The grief & anger of the ppl of Pak on Sahiwal incident is understandable & justified. I assure the nation that when I return from Qatar not only will the guilty be given exemplary punishment but I will review the entire structure of Punjab police & start process of reforming it.
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) January 21, 2019
Earlier, PM Khan soon after the Sahiwal incident had expressed his distress and said that children of the deceased couple will be the state’s responsibility. “Still shocked at seeing the traumatized children who saw their parents shot before their eyes. Any parent would be shocked as they would think of their own children in such a traumatic situation. These children will now be fully looked after by the state as its responsibility,” wrote PM Khan.
Still shocked at seeing the traumatized children who saw their parents shot before their eyes. Any parent would be shocked as they would think of their own children in such a traumatic situation. These children will now be fully looked after by the state as its responsibility.
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) January 20, 2019
The premier also said that no one was above law and action will be taken as soon as Joint Investigation Team presents a report on the incident. “While the CTD has done a great job in the fight against terrorism, everyone must be accountable before the law. As soon as the JIT report comes, swift action will be taken. The govt’s priority is the protection of all its citizens,” he further wrote.
While the CTD has done a great job in fight against terrorism, everyone must be accountable before the law. As soon as JIT report comes, swift action will be taken. The govt's priority is protection of all its citizens. https://t.co/Vek2YHLmKQ
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) January 20, 2019
Four people, including two women, were killed in a suspicious encounter by the Punjab Police’s counter-terrorism department on a GT road near Sahiwal over the weekend.
The premier also said that no one was above law and action will be taken as soon as Joint Investigation Team presents a report on the incident.
According to the postmortem report driver Zeeshan –whom CTD claimed a terrorist in one version of their stories–received 10 bullets, a 13-year-old girl Areeba received 6 bullets while her mother Nabeela received 4 bullets and father Khalil received 13 bullets. One bullet hit minor Umair’s leg, injuring him. Two minor girls present in the car were also injured.
CTD officials claimed the incident to be the Intel-based and said Zeeshan was a terrorist and had opened fire at CTD officials. However, people who witnessed the incident as well as the minor Umair, one of the children of Khalil refuted the official version of the CTD.
The incident enraged the nation and families of deceased protested and demanded swift and severe punishments for the culprits.
Read more: CTD kills four in suspicious encounter in Sahiwal
A joint investigation team has already been formed, comprising members from Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Military Intelligence (MI), and Intelligence Bureau (IB) and will present the report to the Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar on Tuesday (January 22).