News Analysis |
The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) team formed to probe into 19-year-old Intizar Ahmed’s murder case finished its investigation on Thursday. The team concluded that it was a cold blooded murder and a targeted attack against Intizar. The murder was declared intentional and police personnel Daniyal and Bilal were found to be directly involved in it.
Intizar was shot on Khayaban-e-Ittehad road on the evening of 13th January after the police allegedly mistook him for a car thief. The initial police reports were filed against two unidentified men who overtook Intizar’s car and shot him but it was later revealed that Intizar was shot by police officers. Intizar was a 19-year-old student who was currently studying in Malaysia; he had come back on his semester break.
It will create a lawless situation in the country and anarchy would become the law of the land. Action in the Initizar murder case and similar cases should be a priority for the police to restore their dignity and trust among the general public.
Darakshan police have registered an FIR (16/2018) against 9 ACLC (Anti-Car Lifting Cell) officials under Sections 302 (murder) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). Out of the 9 suspects, 8 are under arrest while one is out on bail. The father of Intizar was not satisfied with the police investigations so the case was referred to the CTD on the orders of Inspector General (IG) Sindh A.D. Khawaja.
According to the CTD report, no criminal conspiracy has been found behind the murder but it was still not a mistake by the ACLC officials. The officials stopped Initizar’s vehicle but did not check it. They didn’t even disclose that they were police officials or ask the teenager who he was. Two ACLC officials, Bilal and Daniyal, opened indiscriminate fire on Intizar’s vehicle and the seven others did not stop them so it shows a common intention.
Read more: Defeating Terrorism: Pakistan needs new “Road Maps” & a “Visionary Leadership”…?
After the incident, none of the police officials took the injured Intizar to the hospital. Instead they fled the scene and when they were asked about it, they replied that they feared public reaction which shows guilt on the behalf of the officials. The CTD report couldn’t find any evidence against the ACLC SSP Muqadas Haider but Intizar’s father insists that he was involved in the murder. The CTD in charge DIG Pervez Ahmed Chandio has insured Intizar’s family that they would further investigate about more aspects of the case.
The civil and human rights activists have demanded a strict punishment for all the involved police officials and more transparency in the workings of the police department. They believe that if people lose their trust in the law enforcement agencies.
The CCTV footage of Intizar’s murder became public on 28th January, almost 2 weeks after his murder, allegedly at the hands of the police. It showed Intizar’s car being intercepted by another while a second vehicle and a motorbike approached his car from the left side. Another motorbike arrived on the right side of Intizar’s car.
As soon as Intizar was given the signal to go, his car was shot at from the back in the CCTV footage. The persons riding on a bike at the right side of Intizar’s car also fired shots at him. The footage showed that none of the police officials were wearing their uniforms at the time of the incident.
Read more: Pakistan: Nexus between Corruption, Terrorism and Democracy
The findings of the CTD and the statements of Intizar’s family and friends show that Intizar was an ordinary student with no political ties or family feuds. He was a student who was pursuing his degree in Malaysia and had come back for a vacation when the police officials murdered him. Human rights activists have severely protested against his murder and protested that the job of the police was to protect the public, not act as a terrorist group.
The civil and human rights activists have demanded a strict punishment for all the involved police officials and more transparency in the workings of the police department. They believe that if people lose their trust in the law enforcement agencies, they will take the law into their own hands and it would lead to the privatization of justice. It will create a lawless situation in the country and anarchy would become the law of the land. Action in the Initizar murder case and similar cases should be a priority for the police to restore their dignity and trust among the general public.