KP rejects Punjab plea for withdrawal of case against CTD officials

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) police have refused to entertain requests by Punjab police for withdrawal of a case registered against officials of the provincial Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) over a raid in Peshawar during which they allegedly tried to kidnap a contractor, sources told Dawn on Wednesday.

Pir Muhammad, a contractor, complained to police that he was present at his office in Peshawar when two persons, one of whom introduced himself as ‘Major Zarrar’, entered his office.

According to the FIR, Zarrar told the contractor that a colonel, waiting outside in a black Vigo parked on the main road, wanted to meet him. But the contractor said he told Zarrar that he was ready to meet the colonel inside his office, but not outside.

“He brought his Vigo inside and I went to meet him. Zarrar and another person pushed me inside the vehicle and tried to kidnap me, but I resisted,” Pir Muhammad told Dawn. “My relatives, who were present in my office, were able to overpower the two persons.”

Police were called and a case was registered against Zarrar, who later turned out to be Saleem Khan, an assistant sub-inspector from Faisalabad CTD. The other person was identified as Usman, also from the same department.

The sources said Punjab police tried, unsuccessfully, to get the case withdrawn.

“Even SSP Faisalabad met senior police officials, but the request was turned down,” the sources said.

Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Qasim Ali Khan confirmed the developments, saying that the accused persons were in judicial custody after they were charged and produced before a court.

“A case was filed against them and they were produced before a magistrate. They are in judicial custody now and withdrawal of the case is unlikely,” Mr Khan told Dawn.

He said whenever police move from one jurisdiction into another, local police must be informed but KP CTD was never informed about the raid.

The CTD men have so far been silent about the motive behind the ‘mysterious’ raid, said one police official.

“They only told us that the contractor was wanted by the Punjab CTD in a case investigation, but they are reluctant to share the details with KP police,” the official said.

The Punjab CTD officials have not produced any criminal record of the contractor, he added.

Published in Dawn, September 5th, 2024