Citing fears of an “encounter” or extra-judicial killing at the hands of Punjab’s new Crime Control Department (CCD), drug smuggling suspect Fayyaz alias Bhola has surrendered to the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) after the Supreme Court (SC) rejected his bail plea.

 

Earlier, Fayyaz’s lawyer, Mazhar Iqbal Sidhu, told the court that his client feared being killed by the CCD as such incidents were taking place in the province on a daily basis.

 

He alleged that “innocent people” were being “targeted” – in reference to suspects being shot dead “by their accomplices” in custody of the brand-new force.

 

The lawyer also mentioned that one individual had been taken from jail and killed in an alleged encounter.

 

While the prosecutor assured the court that the ANF was a responsible agency and did not engage in illegal activities, Justice Hasan Azhar Rizvi observed that authorities had recovered 10 kilograms of drugs and a drone from the suspect.

 

Fayyaz has faced charges since August 2023, when Lahore authorities filed a case against him for smuggling 10 kilograms of drugs.

 

His surrender comes amid concerns about the CCD’s actions as the Lahore High Court (LHC), in July this year, directed Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dr Usman Anwar to explain why, in CCD “encounters”, only the accused were struck by bullets while police vans and officers remain unharmed.

 

Chief Justice Aalia Neelum issued summons while hearing Farhat Bibi’s petition, alleging her son, Ghazanfar Aslam, was killed in a staged police encounter on April 22. The petitioner sought protection for her other son, Ansar Aslam, detained in Sheikhupura jail.

 

The CCD claimed officers opened fire after the van’s occupants attacked them, but Justice Neelum questioned, “How do bullets find detainees only, leaving officers and their vehicles untouched?” She noted the court receives over 40 petitions daily alleging staged custodial killings.

 

Although the top LHC judge expressed provisional satisfaction with the report, she ordered IGP Anwar to conduct a comprehensive review of recent CCD operations and propose measures to prevent future abuses.