SUKKUR: A jirga (tribal court) held in Karachi slapped a fine of Rs22 million on a police team comprising two inspectors and their five subordinates after finding them guilty of killing a youth in a fake encounter.

The youth, Saddam Lashari, was killed in, what the police had claimed, an encounter on May 29 last year in Jacobabad.

The matter was taken to the jirga, presided over by Sardar Zulifqar Ali Sarki, at Sarki House in Karachi. Lakh Khan Bijarani, PPP Jacobabad district president Mir Liaqat Ali Lashari, Fida Hussain Lashari and Lutfullah Lashari were prominent among those who attended the proceedings. The heirs and other relatives of deceased Saddam Lashari as well as the accused policemen were heard during the proceedings.

After holding consultations with his aides, Sardar Sarki pronounced his ruling declaring the police team guilty of first arresting Saddam in Thull town and then killing him in custody. The Sardar rejected the police claim that the encounter had taken place Chand Shakh, falling within the jurisdiction of the Abad police station of Jacobabad.

Accordingly, the police team was ordered to pay a fine/compensation of Rs22 million to the aggrieved side.

The policemen prosecuted by the jirga are inspectors Nabi Bakhsh Dahani and Ghulam Nabi Bijarani, and their subordinates Mirullah Nonari, Murtaza Buriro, Mumtaz Katto and Shehzado Khoso.