Imran Khan’s party, rights body demand inquiry into killing of over 1,000 people

Lahore: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf founder Imran Khan and the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) have called for an immediate judicial inquiry into the killing of over 1,000 people in “staged encounters” by a special police force formed by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.

According to an official of HRCP, over 1,000 suspects have been killed by Punjab’s Crime Control Department (CCD) through “staged encounters” during the last year with impunity. “The CCD has adopted a deliberate policy of staged police encounters leading to extrajudicial killing,” an official of HRCP said on Monday.

In 2025, he said the CCD conducted 670 encounters in Punjab that resulted in the deaths of 924 suspects, while only two police officials were killed during the same timeframe in these encounters. “This tally has crossed the 1,000 mark this year,” he added.

On the other hand, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf said Maryam’s CCD could kill anyone anytime in the province with total impunity, establishing a law of the jungle in Pakistan. It cited the recent killing of a Spanish national of Pakistani origin (Nauman Qaisar) who was affiliated with Tehreek-e-Insaf in a staged encounter by CCD.

“Mr Qaisar came to Pakistan to clear his name in a fake murder case against him, but the CCD Punjab Police brutally killed him. The CCD has now become a group of hired assassins that can be used by anyone,” PTI senior leader and former cabinet member Moonis Elahi posted on his X.

He sought justice for Qaisar, saying a judicial commission should be formed to probe such encounters and bring the culprits to justice.

Maryam last year formed the CCD, tasking it to bring down the crime rate in the province of 130 million people.

The HRCP said the sharp disparity in casualties — averaging more than two fatal encounters per day — alongside similar operational patterns reported across districts of Punjab seems to be an “institutionalised practice” rather than isolated incidents of misconduct.

It said the special police force has created a “climate of fear among affected families”. The relatives of some suspects killed in staged encounters are pressured by police to bury the deceased immediately and warned of further harm if they pursue legal action.agencies