Punjab Deputy Inspector General of Police (Investigation) Jawad Ahmed Dogar has said that the preliminary inquiry report of Joint Investigation Team (JIT) probing the Sahiwal killings does not point out about the person who ordered to open fire on the vehicle which resulted in the death of four persons including three members of a family. Briefing a group of journalists at the Central Police Office (CPO) about the preliminary inquiry report which was submitted before the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday, the DIG failed to give satisfactory answers to media queries. Dogar was accompanied by DIG Legal Punjab Abdul Rab.
When a journalist asked whether the JIT had collected "call detail records (CDRs)" of the CTD officials and the intelligence agency while investigating the matter, Dogar said the JIT has seized CDRs of the CTD personnel and looking further into the matter. Similarly, the DIG also showed his complete ignorance when another journalist asked how Ihtasham, the brother of Zeeshan Javed who was killed for allegedly having links with the militant outfit Daesh, got his job in the Dolphin Force. He said they do not have any detail how Ihtasham got his job, adding that all facts will be brought to the media after completion of the investigation.
"We are, so far, unable to trace any criminal record of Zeeshan," the DIG responded when another reporter inquired whether the police and security agencies found any criminal case against Zeeshan since he was on their watch list for the last two years. Also, the DIG avoided answering why the police have not sent the weapons which were used in the killings to the Punjab Forensic Science Agency (PFSA).
However, the senior police officer said the JIT had seized all available audio and video evidences from nearby shops, plazas and a toll plaza besides footages of the CCTV cameras of the Punjab Safe Cities Authority (PSCA) immediately after the incident. To another query, DIG Dogar said the JIT has not so far recorded the statements of CTD officials since they are on judicial remand. "Their statements will be recorded when the court will issue any such direction," he added.
He alleged that the families of victims are not cooperating with the JIT because they want formation of a judicial commission. "According to forensic evidences, it has been proved that deceased Zeeshan had links with the banded outfit. However, we have not found any criminal record of Zeeshan till date," the DIG said while responding to queries. When another reporter asked whether the JIT report pointed out that bullets were fired from outside the car since no weapon was witnessed in the hands of Zeeshan or any other person, the DIG said the report does not mention anything in this regard.