At least six suspects were killed in four separate encounters with the Crime Control Department (CCD) at different locations in Lahore late on Monday, the CCD said on Tuesday.
Earlier this year, the Punjab government launched the CCD with a mandate to tackle organized crime, terrorism and high-profile criminal gangs. Recently, the organization has held various meetings. Officials have publicly praised the department for its successes, stating that it has “significantly reduced street crime and targeted major criminal figures.”
According to a statement issued by the department spokesperson today, “CCD teams carried out four different encounters at Nishtar Colony, Green Town, Harbanspura and Ring Road of Lahore, where six suspects were killed.”
In the first instance, in Nishtar Colony, the CCD team was attacked while trying to arrest the suspects, the statement said.
“An exchange of gunfire ensued, leaving two suspects dead from gunfire from their associates,” the CCD said, adding that the “deceased had been involved in robbery, previous encounters with police, murder and attempted murder.”
In a separate incident that took place in Green Town, an detained suspect was killed by his own associates, he said, adding that two suspects were killed in an encounter on Ring Road when they were trying to rob citizens, he added.
The CCD spokesperson said: “The suspects opened fire on the police team. Two were killed and two others managed to escape.”
In the fourth encounter that took place in the Harbasnpura area, one of the suspects died after sustaining serious injuries during an exchange of fire with the police, the statement said.
“The injured suspect was taken to hospital, but died from his injuries,” the CCD added.
Increasing number of ‘encounters’
The rising death toll during the encounters has raised concerns among legal experts and civil society.
On October 14, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) expressed deep alarm over the “increasing normalization” of police encounters, a pattern it says has become entrenched since the establishment of the CCD as a special wing of the Punjab Police in February 2025.
The rights body highlighted that the “trend undermines the rule of law and constitutional guarantees of due process.”
According to data collected by the HRCP, the province has witnessed more than 500 alleged encounters since January 2025, resulting in more than 670 deaths, a higher number than any other province.
Human rights observers allege that extrajudicial executions are being used as a substitute for the criminal justice system.
Critics argue that encounters often follow a similar narrative: a suspect is located, they open fire on police and are subsequently killed in the ensuing shootout, leaving no possibility of arrest, investigation or trial.
