The Eagle Squad of Balochistan Police allegedly opened fire on the car of a student on Sariab Road, Quetta, resulting in the student’s death.
The student, Faizan Jattak, 22, who was killed in the incident has sparked a protest in the city and on social media.
On the complaint of Jattak’s cousin, a first information report (FIR) was registered, and it stated that the cousin had been travelling with Jattak in the car, wherein the two men were heading home through Sariab Road around 10 pm. At this point, four officials of the Eagle Squad signalled them to stop at Sada Bahar Terminal.
“As soon as we travelled a bit ahead, they started firing on us because of which my cousin, Faizan, was seriously injured. He died on the spot, while I was injured,” the FIR quoted Jattak’s cousin as saying.
The FIR was lodged against the four police officials under Sections 302 (murder), 324 (attempt to murder) and 34 (acts done by several people in furtherance of common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code.
According to the FIR, an “initial examination” of Jattak’s body showed a gunshot wound on his neck and back.
The incident led to the blocking of the road wherein the killing occurred, and cries of “police brutality” were heard from the protestors. Long queues of vehicles could be seen on the road which links the southern and western parts of Balochistan with the provincial capital, Quetta.
Similarly, multiple netizens took to social media and demanded firm action against those responsible.
Balochistan Home Minister Mir Ziaullah Langove took notice of the incident and ordered an inquiry.
Liaquat Shahwani, the spokesperson for the Balochistan government, in a statement expressed that he was “very saddened” over the firing incident which resulted in Jattak’s death and injuries to his companion.
“Top leadership of the police have taken notice of the incident and issued directions for an immediate inquiry. Justice will prevail,” he said in a tweet.
Faizan Jattak was the son of tribal elder Mir Dad Mohammad Jattak. His funeral prayers were held in his hometown Dasht on Thursday.
The incident comes months after five officials of the Islamabad Police were arrested for the killing of 21-year-old student Osama Satti. A Joint Investigation Team (JIT) constituted to look into the incident concluded that Satti was murdered by officials of the Crisis Response Team (CRT) of the Anti-Terrorism Squad of the police.
The CRT team, comprising five policemen including a driver, fired at Satti’s car with the intention to kill the driver instead of neutralising him, police officials had told Dawn.
Satti’s case had sparked massive outrage on social media with citizens calling for police reforms.
