KP forms judicial commission to probe alleged extrajudicial killings in Khyber

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has decided to form a judicial commission to investigate the alleged extrajudicial killings of two suspects in police custody in Khyber district, the Chief Minister's Secretariat said Tuesday. The decision followed demands from a Khyber jirga after protests over the deaths.

What will the Khyber judicial commission investigate?

The commission, headed by a district and sessions judge, will examine the September 27 killing of Malagori Station House Officer Riaz Hussain during a police operation against non-customs-paid (NCP) vehicles. It will also investigate the deaths of two men who were allegedly killed in a police encounter.

Why did the Khyber jirga demand a judicial commission?

A Khyber jirga met Chief Minister Sohail Afridi again on Tuesday and called for the commission. Iqbal Afridi, a PTI lawmaker from the constituency where the incident took place and a jirga member, confirmed the demand to Nukta. He said all jirga members and tribal elders wanted a comprehensive and transparent inquiry.

Nukta

He said they were not satisfied with the inquiry within the department or the temporary suspension of the district police chief. They also urged the provincial government to announce compensation for the families of the two deceased men and to review the cases against two other individuals named in the same case.

What did the KP government do before forming the commission?

On Monday, the provincial government directed the Inspector General of Police to establish the facts, identify those responsible and submit a comprehensive report to the Chief Minister's Secretariat within seven days. It also ordered the temporary transfer of the Khyber District Police Officer (DPO) to Police Headquarters pending the completion of the investigation.

Why did protests break out in Khyber?

The deaths of the two men sparked protests in Khyber. Relatives, tribal elders and local political leaders placed the bodies on the road and blocked the Pakistan-Afghanistan highway in Jamrud. The bodies were later buried after the chief minister ordered an inquiry.

Ishfaq Ahmed and Hidayat Khan had been detained in connection with the killing of Hussain during a police operation. Police said the two men were killed in an exchange of fire when their associates allegedly attacked a police team taking them to the scene for identification.

The protesters rejected the police account. They alleged the two men were extrajudicially killed despite having no involvement in the officer's killing, and demanded a transparent inquiry and action against senior police officials allegedly involved.