Islamabad, Pakistan – Last November, armed officers from Pakistan’s Crime Control Department (CCD) raided the home of Zubaida Bibi in Bahawalpur city, southern Punjab province, seizing her family’s possessions – mobile phones, cash, gold jewellery and her daughter’s wedding dowry – and detaining her sons.
Within 24 hours, five members of Zubaida’s family were killed in separate “police encounters” across Punjab, a province home to over half of Pakistan’s population. Her sons, Imran, 25, Irfan, 23, and Adnan, 18, along with two sons-in-law, were among those killed.
“They broke into our house in Bahawalpur and took everything we owned,” Zubaida told a fact-finding mission from the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP). “We followed them to Lahore and begged for our sons’ release. The next morning, five of them were dead.” Zubaida alleges police threatened her remaining family if she pursued legal action.
Her husband, Abdul Jabbar, maintains his sons had no criminal records, describing them as “working men, married with children.”
Zubaida’s family’s case is central to a recent HRCP report, published February 17, which alleges a “systemic policy of extrajudicial killing” by the CCD, in violation of Pakistani law and the Constitution. The HRCP documented at least 670 “encounters” resulting in 924 suspected deaths between April 2025 and December 2025.
A New Force, A Sharp Rise
Established under Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the CCD aims to achieve the provincial government’s “Safe Punjab” vision by tackling serious and organised crime. Within weeks of its formation, police encounters across Punjab increased, resulting in more than 900 suspect deaths in eight months. In the same period, two police personnel were killed and 36 injured.
By comparison, the HRCP’s 2024 annual report recorded 341 suspect deaths in encounters across Punjab and Sindh combined for the entire year. The CCD, operating in a single province, more than doubled that number in less than eight months.
The highest concentration of killings occurred in Lahore (139 encounters), followed by Faisalabad (55) and Sheikhupura (47). The majority of those killed were accused of dacoity or armed gang robbery (366 deaths), followed by narcotics-related offenses (114 deaths), robbery (138 deaths), and murder (99 deaths).
A Familiar Script
According to the HRCP, police reports following these killings typically describe CCD teams intercepting suspects on motorcycles, often at night or roadblocks. Suspects allegedly open fire first, prompting police to return fire in self-defense. The reports note “strikingly similar” wording across numerous cases, including instances where dying suspects reportedly volunteered their personal details to officers. Identical phrases appear in reports across different districts and dates, suggesting a standardized reporting structure.
Official police releases circulated to media via WhatsApp reportedly echo this narrative, emphasizing the deceased’s alleged criminal record while omitting procedural details.
Asad Jamal, a Lahore-based human rights lawyer, stated that Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has claimed crime in Punjab has been curtailed, suggesting a policy decision at the highest political level. He expressed skepticism about accountability.
The CCD claims its operations have reduced property crimes by more than 60 percent in a seven-month comparison with 2024, and dacoity-linked murders by a similar margin. The department asserts it follows an “intelligence-driven policing model” and has dismantled organised gangs. It has dismissed the HRCP’s concerns, claiming the commission lacks evidence of extrajudicial killings.
The HRCP argues that even if crime figures have fallen, the methods used matter. Families have reported being urged to bury their dead quickly, preventing independent postmortem examinations. The HRCP received no data from Punjab Police regarding encounter procedures, and requests to meet with senior officials went unanswered.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Crime Control Department?
The CCD was formally constituted in April 2025 by the Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif to combat serious and organised crime and achieve the provincial government’s “Safe Punjab” vision.
How many deaths have been linked to the CCD?
The HRCP documented at least 670 “encounters” resulting in 924 suspected deaths between April 2025 and December 2025.
What concerns has the HRCP raised?
The HRCP alleges a “systemic policy of extrajudicial killing” by the CCD, in contravention of the law and Constitution, and has noted strikingly similar wording in police reports following these killings.
What impact will this trend have on the rule of law and the rights of citizens in Punjab?
