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PTI Demands Judicial Probe into Punjab CCD ‘Encounter’ Deaths
PTI calls for a judicial inquiry into 924 deaths reported during 670 CCD operations in Punjab, citing HRCP concerns over alleged staged encounters. CCD rejects claims, says it operates within the law.
ND
by News Desk
2026-02-23
PTI Demands Judicial Probe into Punjab CCD ‘Encounter’ Deaths

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Monday voiced serious concern over reported deaths during operations conducted by Punjab’s Crime Control Department (CCD), demanding an independent judicial inquiry into the matter.

The party’s statement follows a fact-finding report by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), which called for an urgent high-level judicial probe into deaths occurring during CCD-led encounters. The CCD has rejected the report’s findings, dismissing allegations of staged encounters and extrajudicial killings as unfounded and inconsistent with its operational framework.

PTI Questions ‘Encounter’ Deaths

In a statement, PTI Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram questioned the high number of fatalities reported during CCD operations.

“During the last eight months, as many as 670 encounters and 924 deaths have been reported. What is happening in Punjab? Is it an official state policy?” Akram asked.

He further questioned why the Punjab government had not formally responded to the HRCP’s findings and whether law enforcement was being carried out through judicial mechanisms or through police encounters.

“Under which law have such powers been given to the CCD?” he asked, demanding a transparent and independent judicial inquiry into every reported death.

Akram warned that public trust in institutions would continue to erode unless accountability and transparency were ensured. He also urged Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz to clarify the scope of authority granted to the department.

“No individual or institution can be given authority above the law,” he stated.

HRCP Report Raises Alarm

Last week, the HRCP’s fact-finding report alleged that the CCD had adopted what it described as a “deliberate policy of staged police encounters leading to extrajudicial killings.”

According to the HRCP, based on press reports, at least 670 CCD-led encounters were carried out across Punjab over an eight-month period in 2025. These operations reportedly resulted in 924 suspect deaths, while only two police officials were killed during the same timeframe.

The HRCP observed that the significant disparity in casualties — averaging more than two fatal encounters per day — along with similar operational patterns across districts, suggested what it termed an “institutionalised practice” rather than isolated incidents.

CCD Rejects Allegations

In response, the Crime Control Department has strongly denied the allegations. In a recent press release, the CCD stated that it operates strictly within the Constitution of Pakistan, the Police Order 2002, and applicable criminal procedure laws.

The department maintained that arrests, not killings, are the primary objective of its operations and that any use of force is governed by principles of legality, necessity, and proportionality.

The CCD also cited a comparative review of crime data between post-May 2024 and 2025, claiming a significant reduction in crime rates across Punjab, particularly in Lahore.

Growing Debate

The controversy has triggered a broader debate about policing methods, accountability, and human rights protections in Punjab. With PTI demanding judicial oversight and the HRCP raising serious concerns, pressure is mounting on the provincial government to clarify its position and address allegations surrounding CCD operations.
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