LAHORE – The horrific case of teenager’s death in Multan takes major turn, with the suspect killed in an alleged police encounter before facing trial and a ruling-party lawmaker’s celebration of incident triggered storm of criticism over Punjab’s justice system.
PML-N MPA and Punjab Women Protection Authority Chairperson Hina Parvez Butt shared a post on Multan CCD encounter, praising what she called “instant justice” under Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s government and it got strong condemnation from lawyers, journalists and human rights-conscious social media users.
The backlash erupted after Tauqeer, accused of running over and killing a 14-year-old worker in Multan, was reportedly shot dead during a Crime Control Department (CCD) encounter near Bahawalpur early Wednesday. The suspect had been arrested, produced before a court and placed on a three-day physical remand. Less than a day later, he was dead, leaving serious questions about how an accused person under police custody ended up losing his life before his case could be tried.
Rather than demanding an independent investigation into the encounter, Hina Parvez Butt appeared to welcome the development saying
“یہ مریم نواز صاحبہ کی حکومت ہے، یہاں فوری انصاف ملتا ہے”
The statement raised a troubling question: Since when has the death of an accused person in a police encounter become a substitute for justice? Her remarks drew criticism for appearing to equate an alleged encounter killing with justice, despite the suspect never having been convicted.
‘Vengeance, Not Justice’
Lawyer Abdul Moiz Jaferii was among those who challenged the lawmaker’s response. He argued that celebrating a crime allegedly committed in response to another crime was not justice but vengeance, describing the reaction as an admission of wrongdoing.
Barrister Abuzar Salman Niazi also delivered a sharp rebuke, questioning whether Punjab’s CCD was now expected to carry out extrajudicial killings even in cases involving deaths caused by vehicles. He criticised the glorification of encounters instead of strengthening policing, investigations and prosecutions.
Niazi said the accused deserved punishment if found guilty, but that punishment had to come through the law, not the discretion of police officers.
Journalist Naimat Khan similarly questioned how a representative of the ruling party could celebrate the alleged extrajudicial killing of someone who should have been tried in court. He warned that such actions reflected deep mistrust in the justice system and weakened the very institutions responsible for delivering justice.
‘Police Become Judge and Executioner’
Journalist Absa Komal strongly condemned both extrajudicial killings and the public celebration surrounding them. She argued that delays in judicial proceedings did not grant police the authority to kill suspects.
Absa comments highlighted the dangerous precedent such practices could establish, if people support the killing of an accused person today, how will they seek justice tomorrow if an innocent person is wrongly labelled a criminal and killed? The concern was not about defending the alleged crime against the teenage victim. It was about defending the principle that no police officer has the authority to replace a court of law.
Two Encounters within Hours fuel ‘Full Fry’ Debate
The controversy became even more intense after another suspect was reported killed in a separate incident in Islamabad. Noman, accused in a US visa fraud case connected to university student Laiba Ijaz, reportedly died during an attack on a police team.
Islamabad police claimed that four armed accomplices riding motorcycles opened fire in an attempt to free the suspect, resulting in his death. The two incidents, occurring within hours, revived debate around the expression “full fry,” a controversial term associated with fatal police encounters.
Social media user Mona Khan used the phrase while reacting to the Islamabad incident. Another user, Wasim, condemned the developments as a sign of lawlessness, questioning why people were celebrating two police encounters in such a short period. Journalist Nadia Mirza also referred to Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi’s earlier observation that the system had collapsed.
Multan teenager’s killing was a serious crime allegation that demanded a thorough investigation, a fair trial and punishment for those found responsible. But critics say the death of the accused before trial has deprived the judicial process of the opportunity to establish guilt, examine evidence and deliver a lawful verdict.
It also raised questions about whether political praise for such encounters risks encouraging a culture in which police action is celebrated without sufficient scrutiny.
Prime suspect who crushed Multan boy to death killed in police encounter
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