Names of CTD personnel involved in Sahiwal shootout revealed

LAHORE: The names of the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) personnel, involved in an alleged encounter in Sahiwal, have been revealed, ARY News reported on Monday.

According to the sources privy to the development, the CTD team was led by Sub-Inspector (SI) Safdar Hussain, whereas Ahsan, Muhammad Ramzan, Saifullah and Hasnain Akbar were also present in the team.

The personnel opened shots at the vehicle from front and both sides, in which the family was travelling in, resulting in the deaths of four, including a minor.

Sources say the claim of the CTD that the persons travelling in the car retaliated with Kalashnikov firing stood wrong as “no evidence of firing from inside the car” could be obtained.

The Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) was not called on by the CTD team after the shootout despite claims of recovering explosives from the custody of the deceased.

The sources further revealed that the crime scene was cleared without taking evidence.

On the other hand, the neighbours of Zeeshan – labeled a terrorist by the CTD and Punjab Law Minister Raja Basharat – say he was a nice man and was willing to join the Dolphin Force.

His brother, Ehtisham, was already in the force, and Zeeshan had also given his Computerized National Identity Card (CNIC) to his brother for the purpose.

However, the sources CTD said the action was taken on the information passed by the informer.

“The vehicle was traced a day earlier in Lahore then it disappeared and later was traced near Manga Mandi,” the CTD sources said.