Amid accusations of political point-scoring on Sahiwal incident both by the opposition and treasury, the Senate Monday referred the incident to its standing committee on interior for a thorough probe. As the 286th session of the House begins its first sitting under Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, the senators belonging to opposition benches started agitation and demanded a thorough discussion on the incident, as they rejected the joint investigation team (JIT) formed on the Sahiwal incident, describing it a bid to cover up the matter.
Before the House started debate on the incident, Leader of the House Shibli Faraz said the entire nation is in shock over the incident, adding that a JIT has been formed already which would submit its report within two days.
However, the senators belonging to various opposition parties alleged the police in the country have become a symbol of fear and insecurity and people are more afraid of them than dacoits and other criminals.
They demanded an immediate end into the extra-judicial killings and ensuring the rule of law and strict adherence to the Constitution.
Giving his ruling on Sahiwal incident, Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani referred the matter to Senate Standing Committee on Interior and directed the panel to immediately take up the matter and present a comprehensive report to the House after complete investigation within one week. He said that the report should contain a plan to prevent such incidents in future and to take care of children of the deceased family. He said that after the passage of the 18th Amendment, the incident is a provincial matter, but the incident is being referred to the committee on humanitarian grounds.
At the very outset, on a point of public importance, Leader of the Opposition Raja Zafar-ul-Haq demanded an open discussion in the Senate and a transparent investigation into the incident to take the 'culprits' to task. "We reject the so-called JIT and want action in real sense and fixing of responsibility," he demanded.
PPP Senator Sherry Rehman also rejected the government's stance on the issue and pointed out that the ever-changing stances of the federal and Punjab governments have created serious concerns among masses.
Referring to various videos that went viral on the social media regarding the incident, she said that the government is now being haunted by the cameras.
"We have been told that the police action was on the basis of proper planning, whereas the provincial government declared the victims as terrorists and even if it was so, was there no way other than spraying bullets on them," Sherry asked.
She said they have never heard of formation of JIT on such incidents in the past while people have started fearing while going out of their homes along with their children.
"Whether it is the case of Rao Anwar or anyone else, human rights must be protected and there should be an end to extrajudicial killings," Sherry said, while responding to critics on the role of PPP's provincial government of Sindh in Rao Anwar's case.
She feared that the incident might be covered up, adding if the matter is doubtful then the government needs to remove the lid.
"Because of one terrorist, we may also be shot dead in case we go out...The government must respond to our concerns by tomorrow," she asserted.
PTI Senator Faisal Javed said Prime Minister Imran Khan has assured that strict action would be taken against those responsible for the unfortunate incident. He also assured the House that the government would never spare any wrongdoer.
He said the Punjab government has announced that JIT report would be presented by the next day and responsibility would be fixed, adding the government is going to introduce reforms in the Punjab police to prevent misuse of authority and power. He urged the opposition to desist from making the matter politicised.
"Prime Minister Imran Khan fears only Allah Almighty and is answerable only to Him. The people will see the justice being done," he made it clear. He said that the police have reached this stage during the last 30 years.
PML-N Senator Javed Abbasi lamented that it is shameful that before kids, their parents were shot dead in the gruesome incident. He said that the government needs to conduct a thorough probe into the incident.
Senator Rubina Khalid of PPP while condemning the incident said that the incident would have far-reaching repercussions. "People have already started attacking the police...Is the country being taken to civil war?" she asked.
PkMAP Senator Usman Kakar said the Punjab government claimed that the Counter Terrorism Department took action on the basis of intelligence reports that some terrorists were travelling in the vehicle intercepted near Sahiwal.
He said strict action should be taken against those who provided wrong intelligence. He emphasised that those who are responsible for the incident should be punished within one month after completing detailed probe.
Dr Jehanzeb Jamaldini of BNP-Mengal said the issue should not be politicised and forbade the colleagues from political point-scoring, saying that everyone should join forces for a fair probe into the incident.
He said killings in Balochistan have become a routine and no one is bothered to take care of them. He demanded to form a parliamentary commission comprising opposition and the treasury benches to probe the Sahiwal incident.
Sitara Ayaz of ANP said on one hand, Punjab government announced compensation for the deceased, while on the other CTD termed them terrorists. She said the government had formed a JIT to cover-up the matter. She questioned whether previous JITs had ever produced any result, referring to the killing of Naqeebullah Mehsud.
While there have been thousands of extrajudicial killings, she said, Rao Anwar enjoys protection.
Senator Mushtaq Ahmad, while condemning the Sahiwal incident, said that it is the worst example of 'state terrorism', adding that such incidents show that there is no rule of law but the law of the jungle in the country.
He said that judicial inquiry should be conducted into the incident and the involved personnel be brought to justice.
He questioned to know whether the CTD has been given the licence to kill, adding that all the encounters so far conducted by the CTD should be investigated for being suspected to be fake.
He said that Rao Anwar, a senior Sindh police officer who, he said, was involved in 440 fake encounters, is still roaming free. "Had Rao Anwar been brought to justice, the Sahiwal like incidents might not have happened in the country," he added. PTI's Senator Shehzad Wasim said that it is a bitter truth that the precedent of extrajudicial killings through fake encounters has been prevailing since long.
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