Two men accused of killing three police officials in Lahore were killed during an exchange of fire with law enforcement personnel in Muridke, police sources said.
The suspects, identified as father and son Fayyaz Butt and Rehan Butt, were killed during a joint operation involving Lahore police, Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD), Sheikhupura police and Elite Force personnel after a chase that started in Lahore and ended in Muridke.
According to police officials, the suspects allegedly forced a Lahore Waste Management Company (LWMC) driver to take them to Muridke on gunpoint.
Police said that the two men were involved in attacks on police officials in Lahore on Thursday night.
The two cops were shot dead in the Badami Bagh area, while another was killed at Yateem Khana Chowk on Multan Road. Three others were also injured in the firing.
The deceased officials were identified as Sub-Inspector (SI) Adeel Ashiq and Constable Asad. Police officials said that the first attack was allegedly carried out by Rehan and his accomplices in Badami Bagh.
Around an hour later, the suspects allegedly opened fire at police personnel deployed outside the headquarters of the banned Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) on Multan Road.
A senior police official involved in the operation said that a third suspect, identified as Tariq, escaped during the chase and was last traced to Bagh area of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). He added that AJK police and Punjab law enforcement agencies were working to locate him.
The official said that Fayyaz and Rehan were traced to a seminary in Muridke. Police surrounded the location, but the seminary administration denied their presence.
Police later seized the seminary’s CCTV records for verification, but found that the cameras were not functioning. The records were then sent to Lahore for forensic examination.
According to the official, law enforcers later received information that the suspects had moved towards River Ravi and were hiding in forest area.
On the instructions of Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Abdul Kareem, thermal drones were used to trace the suspects, following which they moved towards a populated area.
Police added that the suspects entered a house and held the family hostage, threatening to kill them.
“When the police reached there, the suspects opened fire on the personnel. During the exchange of fire, Rehan and Fayyaz were killed,” the official said.
The official added that Tariq had separated from the two suspects during the chase and managed to escape towards AJK.
A police official had earlier said that Thursday’s attacks appeared to be rooted in revenge. According to the official, Rehan’s brother Faizan Butt was killed in an encounter with a CTD team that reportedly included Sub-Inspector Adeel several years ago.
Police said that Faizan was associated with the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and was involved in attacks on police officials.
The official added that Adeel had informed senior police officers in 2024 about receiving life threats from Rehan.
Following the complaint, police had registered an FIR [First Information Report] against Rehan at the Shafiqabad police station in November 2024.
