Punjab Law Minister Raja Basharat said that the Sahiwal operation was jointly carried out by the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) and ISI on the basis of solid evidences that Zeeshan was a Daesh terrorist. "We are not charge-sheeting anybody for now. We will wait for the joint investigation team (JIT)'s report," Raja Basharat said while addressing a joint press conference here on Sunday along with provincial minister Mian Mahmoodur Rashid and Information Minister Fayaz-ul-Hasan Chohan.
He said the surveillance cameras of the 'Safe City' had captured Zeeshan's car with cars of terrorists on January 13. Then, the 'Safe City' cameras were inspected from January 13 to 18 and Zeeshan's relation with the terrorists was established, he added.
The law minister said it had been confirmed that Zeeshan was working with terrorists. According to the intelligence information, the alleged terrorist was carrying explosive materials in the car, he added. "As soon as the CTD officials stopped their vehicle, fire was opened on them. Zeeshan was driving the car and the car had tinted glasses, therefore, Khalil's family suffered a loss," The JIT will probe into why Zeeshan was travelling with the family. "Zeeshan was killed in Sahiwal, while his accomplices have been killed in Gujranwala," he said.
He said the CTD officials had recovered weapons, explosives and hand grenade from the car. He said it had to be established that why fire was opened and what relation Zeeshan had with Khalil. Raja Basharat said if the terrorists were not chased, the Punjab could have suffered big destruction. He said the Sahiwal operation was carried out on the basis of intelligence report. However, deaths of Khalil and his family had made it controversial.
"The terrorist network was involved in various terrorism incidents, including in the kidnapping of Ali Haider Gillani," The law minister said the government had announced to provide financial assistance to the victim family and take responsibility of education of their children. He said footage of 'Safe City' surveillance cameras would be shown to journalists.
"The law enforcers take good care of this fact that they carry operation at such a place where innocents do not get hurt. The CTD officials did not intend to hurt Khalil's family," he said. Raja Basharat said the JIT had to decide most of the aspects of the incident and the government would implement its decision as it will be.
"The responsible should be brought to justice. The JIT's report will be made public in next three days and we will accept this report instead of the CTD version," he said.
CTD's version The Counter-Terrorism Department, in a statement detailing its version of Saturday's encounter in Sahiwal claimed that the "terrorist" driving the car shot at the police when intercepted. CTD personnel said they had killed a local commander of militant organisation Daesh and three others in the operation. CTD said its Sahiwal team was informed to intercept the vehicle in question. "When the vehicle was intercepted at 12:15 noon [Saturday], it did not stop. The driver started shooting at the CTD team. The car was followed by a motorcycle with two riders. They also fired at the CTD team. The shootout resulted in death of one terrorist Zeeshan and accompanying family members," the statement read. "The vehicle had tinted glasses; hence children on rear seat were not seen. The family became victim of circumstances.
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