Summary Sadia recounts the killing of her brother
ISLAMABAD: Sadia Ayub sister of Zahid Ayub, who was allegedly killed in a police encounter in Sheikhupura, appeared today in Dunya program “Tonight with Moeed Pirzada”and accused that her slain brother Zahid was in Police custody. She accused that Rana Azam, SHO Sheikhopura and his sub inspector, Arif, had demanded Rs. 20 lac for setting Zahid free. Sadia has warned that if she did not get justice from Chief Minister,she and her sisters will have no option left but to burn themselves alive (Suicidal attempt).
Sadia appeared in the program “Tonight with Moeed Pirzada” and told the anchor person that her brother Zahid was born in 1996 and was thus only 19 years of age at the time of his death. She told that Zahid had gone out of home three or four days ago for repairing his motor cycle and became missing. Then sisters learned that he was in police custody in Thana Sheikhupura. Sisters went there and found him in police lock up. Zahid had been severely beaten and could not even stand up.
Rana Azam, SHO and Arif, Sub inspector Sheikhopurafirst treated them roughly and asked them to leave police station but on their insistent pleadings , the police officers promised them to set their brother free if they pay them Rs. 20 lac. According to Sadia, , they told police officer that they are orphans and a very poor family and cannot arrange such a large sum. They however offered their residential house to the police officers in which officers did not show much interest.
According to Sadia, they again came to the police station next day and found that police officers in uniform were taking Zahid away in a private car. He was tied up and was shouting for help. Sadia ran towards him for rescue but the car sped away. Later police misbehaved and kicked out the sisters from police station.
Arsalan Bhatti, Bureau Chief Dunya News Lahore, also appeared in program and explained that police claims that Zahid has never been in their custody and was probably killed in a cross fire during a road side robbery. However it is interesting that while police is giving details of the robbery and shooting incident but have not arrested anyone. He further told that police claimed that Zahid was a hardened criminal and dacoitand a senior police officer have sent him several copies of FIRs registered against Zahid.
However, on closer scrutiny it becomes apparent that one FIR of murder against him was registered in 2010 when he was only 14 years old. Since his birth certificate gives date of 1996. All other FIRs have been registered in past several months, almost all of them related to dacoties.In most of them, Zahid’s name finds mentioned in the supplements (ZIMMNIES). It is obvious that these ‘ZIMMNIES’ have been written by the investigating officers (IO’s) who are generally in the habit of adding many names in such supplementaries.. And this is a known unfortunate practice with police.
Bureau Chief Lahore also mentioned that it is interesting that Zahid after doing some technical diploma had been working in a factory in Faisalabad and was only visiting home during holidays. Under the circumstances registration of so many FIRs against Zahid in local area where he is not present most of the time look suspicious.He also mentioned the local people have told him that in Sheikhupura/ MureedKay, more than 70 police encounters havetaken place in the last several months, and we have not heard of any formal inquiry into these deaths and encounters.
Dr Moeed Pirzada concluded this discussion by arguing that Chief Minister ShahbazSherif is a strong believer in the rule of law and in all probability Punjab Police is not letting the true facts to reach him. Once he realizes that what really happened he will take strong action. Dr. Pirzada,however appealed to both the Chief Minister Punjab and Chief Justice of Pakistan to take notice of the suspicious circumstances in which Zahid died. Death of a young son and brother is a tragedy but if the facts are true then it points to a much bigger public policy disaster; it gives credence to the accusation that Punjab police is full of mercenaries who are ready to be hired by private parties for settling their feuds – Nothing could be more degrading to the reputation of a uniformed force maintained at the expense of tax payers.
