Will clear mess created by previous govts, Mazari tells NA

Last updated on: 21 January,2019 08:23 pm

Shireen Mazari said stern action will be taken against those responsible in Sahiwal incident.

ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari said CTD firing which resulted in deaths of four people in Sahiwal is highly condemnable.

“Those invovled in the incident must be given severe punishment,” the minister said while addressing the National Assembly.

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She said the incident is reflection of illegal police encounters which have been happening for years.

“It is fifth month since our government was formed and we did some mistakes too but the tradition of police encounters was set by the previous governments,” Mazari remarked while responding to opposition members’ criticism over Sahiwal tragedy.

“There is no accountability of such encounters. Was anyone punished for Model Town tragedy,” she asked.

She said: “It is our duty to end decades of tolerance for killings through ‘encounters’. What was tolerated, even encouraged by previous governments/state must end now.”

Mazari said situation would’ve been different if action had been taken against SSP Rao Anwar, Karachi’s most controversial cop, known as encounter specialist.

She said the nation is paying the price for blunders committed by the previous governments.

“We took timely action. Sixteen CTD personnel were arrested within few hours and the joint investigation team was given three days to present report,” she added.

The Minister said things neglected during last ten years will take some time to improve. We will clear mess created by the previous governments, she vowed. 

Shireen Mazari emphasized to restructure police department in order to change its colonial mindset. She also asked the MNAs to bring solid and concrete suggestions in order to avoid the recurrence of such incidents in future.