On June 10th and unarmed man was shot at point blank range by Pakistan’s military police who casually watched him bleed to death.
The event was caught on camera by several onlookers. Sarfaraz Shah was grabbed by the police after he allegedly robbed someone. They forced him to his knees with his hands behind his back. He begged for mercy but the soldiers shot him once in his leg and once in his arm. He screamed in pain and the soldiers watched as he fell to the ground and slowly bled to death.
Pakistani civilians already lack faith in their security forces and this can only heighten the ill-feeling that exists. The security forces have been on the defensive since the US raid which killed Osama bin Laden but this recent event has triggered a new wave of local and international criticism of Pakistan’s government and human rights record.
The cameraman of Awaz TV, who shot the incident, has received anonymous death threats though the incident made the front page of many Pakistani newspapers.
Shah’s death has sparked wide spread demonstrations against the police and Pakistan’s Prime Minister has now called for an inquiry into the event.
The cameraman who filmed the incident identified six personnel of Pakistan Rangers, Sindh, and a private contractor in an anti-terrorism court on Wednesday 20th July.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.dawn.com/2011/07/21/cameraman-testifies-in-rangers-killing-case.html