LAHORE:
The Crime Control Department (CCD) has crossed the 100 mark in encounter killings during its ongoing campaign against alleged drug peddlers and drug networks across Punjab, sparking renewed concerns among human rights organizations about the scale, methods and transparency of the operations.
The latest incident took place late Monday night in Lahore when five suspects in custody were killed in an alleged shootout.
According to reports, CCD personnel were escorting the detainees to a recovery operation when ‘unidentified assailants’ believed to be accomplices of the suspects ambushed the team.
The deceased have been identified as Rafaqat, Shahid Akram, Zahid, Nadir Afzal and Kamran Iqbal, all previously held in cases registered across Model Town, Township, Iqbal Town and Saddar divisions. Officials said the suspects were shot during the crossfire, while CCD personnel remained unharmed. Their bodies were shifted to the mortuary for medico-legal examination.
Although no consolidated provincial statement has been issued by the CCD or the Punjab Police, media reports suggest a rapid escalation of encounter-related deaths: in the past 48 hours, 18 suspects linked to ICE trafficking have reportedly been killed in separate operations across Lahore, Sheikhupura and Kasur. Earlier this week, another 23 alleged drug dealers were killed in raids in Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Okara and Sialkot.
In Lahore alone, at least 22 people have been reported killed in several nighttime encounters since the crackdown began. Additional deaths have been reported in Rahim Yar Khan, Bahawalpur and Sargodha districts.
The crackdown has also targeted law enforcement officials allegedly involved in drug trafficking.
At least 17 policemen have been detained on charges of facilitating drug trafficking or maintaining links with drug networks, with departmental investigations ongoing.
The rising number of deaths involving suspects already in custody has drawn sharp criticism from rights groups.
Legal observers note that in most cases police have neither identified nor arrested alleged attackers, and independent verification of the events remains limited.
Provincial authorities defend the CCD’s actions, stating that the campaign targets organized drug networks, particularly those dealing in synthetic drugs.
Officials claim that armed confrontations have intensified due to opposition from criminal groups.
Despite repeated calls for transparency, the Punjab government has yet to release an official district-wise breakdown of deaths related to the CCD operations.
As the campaign continues, the death toll of more than 100 has reignited debates about police methods, accountability and oversight across the province.
