SUNDAY TIMES LAHORE: The petition filed by Judicial Activism Panel states that a judicial probe into the Sahiwal shootout is necessary to bring the facts of the incident to light. “A letter was written to the authorities concerned demanding the constitution of a judicial commission, but to no avail,” it reads.

“Punjab Tribunals of Inquiry Ordinance provides for an inquiry into such incidents,” the petitioner contends.

Earlier, on Jan 31, Muhammad Jalil, brother of Khalil killed along with his wife and a teenage daughter in the alleged encounter, filed a petition in the LHC challenging the formation of the JIT.

He stated in the petition that following the ‘fake’ encounter a false FIR had been registered to label the victims of the incident as terrorists. However, another FIR was lodged against CTD personnel after a protest by citizens against the gory incident.

“Even in the second FIR the facts had been distorted to benefit the real culprits.”

Arguing that the JIT formed by the government was not capable of reaching a fair decision, he pleaded that the court should issue an order for the constitution of a judicial commission under section 3 of Punjab Tribunals of Inquiry Ordinance 1969 or under section 3 of Pakistan Commissions of Inquiry Act 2017.