Since the appointment of a new City Police Officer (CPO) in Faisalabad, the district has recorded 100 police encounters in just 40 days, a sharp jump from the 35 reported in the four months prior.
Tanveer Hussain Taneo assumed charge as CPO on May 8 after serving at the Crime Control Department (CCD) headquarters. Upon taking office, he directed police teams to intensify operations against proclaimed offenders and active criminal gangs.
According to police statistics, between May 8 and June 16, the reported encounters left 34 suspects dead and 86 others injured, along with a police head constable. Authorities said that the deceased suspects were killed by firing from their own accomplices during exchanges of gunfire with police. The injured were shifted to hospitals for treatment.
The figures stand in contrast to the first four months of 2026, when police reported 35 encounters across the district, with 10 suspects killed and 37 individuals injured, including a police constable.
The highest number of encounters was recorded in the jurisdiction of Saddar Faisalabad Police Station, where 11 encounters resulted in four fatalities and 12 injured. Several other stations across the district also reported encounters, including Nishatabad, Roshanwala, Jhang Bazaar, Batala Colony, Jaranwala City, Samundri, Ghulam Muhammadabad, Factory Area, Chak Jhumra and Sahianwala.
The surge has drawn concern from legal and human rights circles.
Advocate Owais Munawar Randhawa, a human rights activist and High Court lawyer, questioned the unusually high number of encounters within such a short period, saying that the trend raises questions about the criminal justice system and public confidence in legal processes. He called for independent scrutiny of such incidents to ensure adherence to the rule of law.
