ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly on Wednesday agreed to form a special committee to probe fake encounters carried out by the Punjab Police, empowering the speaker to name its members.

On a point of order, PML-Q legislator Raza Hayat Hiraj raised the issue of extra-judicial killings at five police stations of Khanewal and demanded the formation of a special committee of the house to probe fake encounters by the Punjab Police.

However, the PML-N members opposed the formation of the committee, arguing that the matter should be taken up with the Punjab government as it was a provincial subject. Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan and Minister of State for Interior Tasneem Qureshi termed the extra-judicial killings an extra-constitutional act and said the government had no objection to the formation of the special committee to probe such incidents. Deputy Speaker Faisal Karim Kundi also agreed to the proposal and directed Raza Hayat Hiraj to take up the issue with Babar Awan and Tasneem Qureshi so that the committee could be formed, if needed.

Earlier, Raza Hayat Hiraj said the police had been targeting innocent people in fake encounters in five police stations of his constituency.He mentioned an incident of Kabir Wala, alleging that a few months back officials of the police station had killed a 13-year-old boy and registered fake FIRs against the complainants on the instructions of a party.

He said when he brought the incident into the notice of the DIG, instead of taking any action, the official advised him to submit an application. “The people of my constituency, which is adjacent to the constituency of Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, are asking whether they are being targeted for being a neighbouring district of the prime minister’s constituency.”

He demanded that a special committee of the house should be constituted to probe the

high-handedness of the Punjab Police. PML-N legislator Saad Rafiq told the house that it was an act of human rights violation and the chief minister and the IGP Punjab would take notice of these incidents.

Babar Awan termed such kind of incidents as extra-constitutional and said the government had no objection to the formation of a committee to probe it. However, Rana Tanvir of the PML-N opposed the formation of the committee, saying that as the PML-N had assured action against the police officials, therefore, there was no need for the committee. Ghaus Bux Mahr supported the constitution of the committee. Later, the deputy speaker on the recommendation of the house, agreed to constitute the committee.