Two suspects in Lahore police killings shot dead in encounter, third escapes

Two suspected attackers accused of killing three policemen in Lahore were shot dead in an overnight operation, while a third suspect escaped, police said on Friday, as authorities tightened security across Punjab ahead of Independence Day celebrations.

The three suspects were allegedly involved in two separate attacks on police in Lahore on Thursday, the first in Badami Bagh and the second hours later near the headquarters of the banned Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) in Nawan Kot.

Punjab Inspector General of Police Abdul Karim ordered a crackdown against those responsible and directed officers to use all available resources to track down the attackers.

Police later said teams from Lahore and Sheikhupura had traced the suspects to the Ravi area after tracking their vehicle through CCTV footage. Two of them, identified as Rehan Butt and his father Fayyaz Butt, were killed in an exchange of fire, while their third accomplice fled.

How were the attackers traced?

Police said the suspects left Lahore in a vehicle after the attacks. Investigators used CCTV footage to trace their movements and police teams followed them through the night before locating them in the Ravi area early on Friday.

The suspects opened fire when confronted by police, triggering an exchange in which Rehan Butt and Fayyaz Butt were killed, police said.

Police sources said the third suspect, identified as 32-year-old Tariq, separated from Rehan Butt and his father near the Ravi Rehan drain before the two men were killed in the encounter. Police teams were continuing their search for Tariq and efforts were under way to arrest him.

The third suspect escaped during the encounter and a search operation was under way.

FIR registered in Badami Bagh attack

An FIR has been registered against three suspects over the killing of Sub-Inspector Adeel Ashiq and Head Constable Asad Ali in Badami Bagh, police said.

According to the FIR, Sub-Inspector Adeel Ashiq, Head Constable Asad and a passer-by were wounded in the attack. Adeel Ashiq and Asad later died from their injuries.

The case was registered at Badami Bagh police station on the complaint of Inspector Naseem Khan of Lari Adda police station under eight sections, including anti-terrorism, murder and attempted murder.

According to the FIR, police received information that a group of suspects was planning an attack at the home of Fayyaz Butt near Khan Chowk in Badami Bagh.

Sub-Inspector Adeel Ashiq and Head Constable Asad Ali went to the house, where Fayyaz Butt and two associates opened fire, the FIR said.

It said Fayyaz Butt then stood over the two officers after they fell to the ground and shot them with a pistol. A passer-by, Zahid Amin, was also wounded.

Two attacks targeted police in a single day

The Badami Bagh shooting was followed hours later by another attack on police personnel in Nawan Kot, in Lahore's Iqbal Town area.

A police spokesperson said Sub-Inspector Adeel Ashiq and Head Constable Asad Ali came under heavy gunfire in Badami Bagh. Both were critically wounded and later died in hospital. Police had identified Rehan Butt as the alleged attacker and said he fled the scene.

Later, three motorcycle-borne gunmen opened fire on police deployed near the headquarters of the banned TLP in Nawan Kot, wounding four police personnel and a passer-by, according to the FIR registered over the Nawan Kot attack. Constable Haris later died while being treated at Sheikh Zayed Hospital.

The Nawan Kot FIR, registered on the complaint of Sub-Inspector Mohsin Shehzad, said the three suspects were armed with Kalashnikovs and opened fire on police personnel deployed for security duty. It said the attackers also wounded a passer-by before fleeing.

According to the Nawan Kot FIR, the suspects snatched a weapon from a security guard while escaping, then hijacked a vehicle belonging to the Lahore Waste Management Company (LWMC). They also damaged another government vehicle while firing as they fled.

The four injured police personnel were identified as Constable Haris, Constable Muhammad Shafique Saleem, Constable Shaban and Constable Azam, according to the Nawan Kot FIR.

CCTV footage showed the attackers firing before fleeing on a motorcycle. Police said one wore a shalwar kameez while the other two were dressed in trousers and shirts. The gunmen also opened fire near a petrol station, prompting people to flee.

Overall, the two attacks left three policemen dead and three other police personnel and two passers-by injured, according to police and the FIRs.

Investigators suspected Butt and his associates could also have been involved in the Nawan Kot attack, although no group had initially claimed responsibility.

Police said a case had been registered against Butt at Shafiqabad police station on Dec. 10, 2024, on the complaint of Adeel. Officials said Butt had allegedly threatened the officer following the death of his brother in an earlier police encounter.

Third suspect identified

Police have identified the third suspect allegedly involved in the attacks as 32-year-old Tariq, who is from Bagh in Kashmir, police sources said.

Police sources said Tariq had been staying at Rehan Butt's home for some time. His details were obtained from the Hotel Eye database, and investigators found that he had been in contact with Rehan and had met him several times, the sources said.

A case had previously been registered against Tariq at Ravi Road police station under sections 13, 20 and 65, according to the sources.

Police were continuing efforts to trace and arrest Tariq, who escaped after separating from Rehan and his father near the Ravi Rehan drain, the sources said.

Has any group claimed responsibility for the attacks?

A statement purportedly issued by a spokesperson for the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan's Jamaat-ul-Ahrar faction claimed responsibility for both attacks.

The statement, issued in the name of a person identifying himself as Asad Mansoor, said the officers had been killed in retaliation for the death of an associate in an earlier police encounter.

The claim could not be independently verified. Lahore DIG Operations Faisal Kamran told Nukta that TTP involvement could not be confirmed at that stage because the investigation was still under way.

Punjab Police on high alert for 79th Independence Day

Security has been tightened across Lahore and elsewhere in Punjab ahead of Friday's Independence Day celebrations, the Punjab police chief said.

Abdul Karim directed police to maintain close surveillance of anti-state and criminal elements and said comprehensive security arrangements had been made for more than 300 Independence Day events across the province, including Lahore.

More than 28,000 police officers and personnel have been deployed across Punjab for security and traffic management, he said, adding that activities were being monitored through cameras operated by the Safe Cities Authority.

Police personnel stationed at inter-provincial border checkpoints have also been ordered to remain on high alert, officials said.