Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Bani Gala locals have linked the murder of five people, including a police commando, to an influential political family amid reports that police has shelved the case. While calling into question the police investigation, residents of the area have asked why police had not obtained laboratory report of the gun and mobile data of the victims. The five were killed in Bani Gala on June 22. At first, police had declared the killings were murder and then said it was a suicide case. It has neither obtained the mobile phone data of the victims nor got the laboratory report of the official gun despite the lapse of one month since the incident. The locals have said that on the night of the incident, the police commando was seen quarrelling on phone with someone at 10pm in a street and was insisting on opening the door of a home. On the other hand, police have said that Mehmood, the commando, was invited to an Iftar party at the home. Evidence says Mehmood had not attended the Iftar party and was on duty with Federal Minister Abdul Qadir Baloch at a local hotel on the said evening. He left his place of duty at 9:30pm and proceeded to Bani Gala. Therefore, it was not Iftar time. Locals told Daily Times on the condition of anonymity that Mehmood frequently visited the home to meet a woman living there. The woman’s husband, Zahid, who was working abroad, did not like this and threatened Mehmood. Police had shelved the case, declaring the killings by Mehmood murder and later a suicide instead of probing into all the facets of the matter. Political hand is seen behind the shelving of the case. Islamabad IG has also refused to have the case further probed. The family members of Mehmood have said they would go to Supreme Court if justice is not done.