Lawyers and Journalists Question Rule of Law After Suspect Dies in Alleged CCD Encounter
The death of a suspect in an alleged encounter involving Punjab’s Crime Control Department (CCD) has raised concerns among lawyers, journalists and human rights advocates over due process and the role of courts in criminal cases.
The suspect, identified as Tauqeer, reportedly died during an exchange of fire in Bahawalpur on Wednesday. According to the CCD, he had escaped from its custody after a court granted three days of physical remand. Department personnel later attempted to stop two individuals travelling on a motorcycle along the city’s Northern Bypass, where an alleged exchange of fire took place.
The case follows public outrage over a separate incident in Multan, where Tauqeer was accused of running over a 14-year-old boy who worked for him. The teenager was reportedly struck by a car in a private housing society, prompting calls for accountability.
The latest development has renewed scrutiny of the CCD, which was established last year and has faced criticism over casualties reported during police encounters. Earlier this year, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) alleged that the department was involved in a pattern of staged encounters leading to extrajudicial killings. The CCD rejected the allegations, describing them as unfounded and inconsistent with its operational procedures.
Lawyers and journalists expressed concern on social media that suspects should face trial in court rather than die before judicial proceedings can establish their guilt.
Advocate Nida Usman Chaudhry, founder of Women in Law, said justice required fair investigations, trials and adherence to due process. Journalist and writer Shabbir Dar argued that extrajudicial killings reflected a loss of public confidence in the criminal justice system.
Former federal human rights minister Shireen Mazari also questioned the situation, raising concerns about accountability within law enforcement agencies.
A now-deleted social media post by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MPA Hina Parvez Butt added to the controversy. Butt had shared screenshots of a television report about the Bahawalpur incident and suggested that justice was being delivered swiftly under the Punjab government led by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.
Her comments drew criticism from journalists and legal professionals. Journalist Hasnaat Malik said punishment should follow the completion of legal procedures, while advocate Abdul Moiz Jaferii argued that celebrating a suspect’s death confused justice with revenge.
Barrister Rida Hossain warned that defending police encounters as an alternative to judicial proceedings risked allowing the executive to act as judge and jury. Journalist Absa Komal also criticised the celebration of extrajudicial killings, stressing the importance of legal and moral accountability.
Senior journalist Naimat Khan said the death of an accused person outside the judicial process could undermine public trust in government institutions, regardless of the allegations against the individual. Television anchor Nadia Mirza similarly questioned why courts appeared to be sidelined in discussions about justice.
Journalist Javeria Siddique said accountability should be pursued through lawful proceedings rather than encounters or other unlawful methods.
Shazia Nizamani, chairperson of the Sindh Women Lawyers Alliance, called for suspects to be presented before judges and given the opportunity to face trial. She also questioned how individuals held under police supervision could repeatedly escape custody in separate cases.
The incident has renewed calls for transparency and a thorough examination of the circumstances surrounding Tauqeer’s death. Critics argue that allegations of serious crimes must be addressed through investigations and court proceedings, ensuring that both victims and accused individuals are dealt with under the law.
The case has once again placed police accountability and the effectiveness of Pakistan’s criminal justice system under public scrutiny.
