Fake Encounter of Students: Court Delivers Justice in Faisalabad

Court Sentences Four Police Officers to Death for Fake Encounter Killings

Faisalabad: Court has handed down two death sentences each to four police officers involved in the chilling fake encounter of two young students. The tragic incident, which occurred on August 8, 2018, saw constable Asghar Ali and his accomplices, including constables Falak Sher, Faisal, and volunteer Waqas, fatally shoot Muhammad Arsalan and Muhammad Usman under the guise of a police operation.

The Additional Sessions Judge, Sajida Akhtar, ruled that the heinous act was a grave violation of human rights and ordered each convicted officer to pay 10 lakh rupees to the families of the victims as compensation. The court’s decision is a pivotal moment in the ongoing struggle against police brutality and a reminder of the importance of safeguarding citizens’ rights.

In a heart-wrenching account, the prosecution revealed that the victims were innocently out for a late-night pizza when they were targeted by the police officers, who falsely claimed they were engaged in a shootout with terrorists. The court found the evidence overwhelmingly compelling, leading to a swift trial and decisive judgment.

While justice was served for the slain students, the court provided a significant lifeline to one officer, Javed Akhtar, acquitting him on the grounds of insufficient evidence. The ruling has sparked a wave of reactions, with advocates for justice calling it a “victory for the oppressed” and a strong message that no one is above the law.

As Faisalabad breathes a sigh of relief, this case shines a spotlight on the urgent need for reform within the police force and serves as a rallying cry for those fighting against systemic abuses of power. The families of Arsalan and Usman, though forever scarred by this tragedy, can now find solace in the fact that their quest for justice has culminated in a powerful verdict.