Six suspects killed in four police encounters across Lahore

LAHORE; At least six suspects were killed late Monday night in four separate encounters conducted by the Crime Control Department (CCD) across different areas of Lahore, officials confirmed on Tuesday.

The CCD, launched earlier this year by the Punjab government, is tasked with tackling organised crime, terrorism, and high-profile criminal networks. The department has been credited by provincial authorities for “significantly curbing street crime and neutralising major offenders.”

According to a statement issued by the CCD spokesperson, four operations were carried out in Nishtar Colony, Green Town, Harbanspura, and along Ring Road, resulting in the deaths of six suspects.

In the first encounter in Nishtar Colony, a CCD team came under attack while attempting to apprehend suspects. During the exchange of fire, two suspects were fatally hit by bullets allegedly fired by their own accomplices. The department said the deceased were involved in multiple crimes, including murder, attempted murder, and theft.

In another incident in Green Town, a detained suspect was killed by his associates during a rescue attempt. Two more suspects were gunned down in an exchange of fire on Ring Road as they allegedly tried to rob citizens, while two others managed to escape.

The fourth encounter took place in Harbanspura, where one suspect was critically injured during a shootout with police and later died in the hospital, according to the CCD.

However, the increasing number of such encounters has raised serious concerns among legal experts and human rights groups.

On October 14, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) voiced concern over the “growing normalisation” of police encounters, particularly after the establishment of the CCD as a specialised wing of the Punjab Police in February 2025.

The HRCP warned that the trend “undermines the rule of law and the constitutional right to due process.”

Citing its data, the rights body said that since January 2025, Punjab has witnessed over 500 alleged encounters resulting in more than 670 deaths—figures higher than in any other province.

Human rights observers and legal analysts claim that these encounters often bypass judicial procedures, describing them as a substitute for the formal justice system. Critics say such cases typically follow the same pattern—police locate suspects, a shootout ensues, and the suspects are killed, leaving no chance for arrest, investigation, or trial.