It is unimaginably difficult to carry the burden of a young brother’s body on one’s shoulders, to take him for burial, especially when there is no one left to even give a shoulder in support.
A sister stands alone, exhausted, broken, and helpless.
She says she begged the police. She pleaded again and again. She even told them that in her entire life she had never committed a wrong, never crossed a line, never violated the law. She swore on her younger sisters that she had never been involved in anything immoral or illegal. Yet, despite her desperation, she was forced into a situation where even the body of her brother was treated as a bargaining chip.
She was tired of life. Tired of begging. Tired of humiliation.
Her brother, she says, may not have been perfect in the eyes of the world—but for her, he was her protector, her guide, her strength. He taught her self-respect. He taught her not to see herself as weak, not to surrender her dignity, and to endure life with courage. She stood by her husband for years, endured hunger, hardship, and pain, raised children, and faced life silently. And in return, fate handed her this punishment: the death of her brother in police custody.
And even after death, his body was not returned.
The Law Is Clear, Custodial Death Is a Crime
Pakistan is not without law on this issue.
The Custodial Torture and Custodial Death (Prevention and Punishment) Act, 2022 clearly provides that:
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Any death occurring in police custody must be investigated by the FIA
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Police officers involved cannot investigate themselves
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Independent, transparent inquiry is mandatory
This is not optional. This is the law.
Several judges have emphasized this principle. Notably, Justice Ali Zia Bajwa in a reported judgment clearly explained why and how FIA must investigate all custodial deaths, leaving no room for ambiguity.
A Tragedy Foretold, And Ignored
This was not an unforeseen incident.
A year earlier, the same sister approached the courts when her brother was in police custody, fearing a fake encounter. A Habeas Corpus petition was filed before an Additional Sessions Judge, warning that the life of the detainee was at risk. At that time, the young man was released.
One year later, the fear became reality.
The case was shifted from CIA Model Town, now renamed CCD Model Town. But changing the name of a department does not change its methods. According to the family, under the supervision of senior officers, a police encounter was staged.
The result: a young life lost.
For three days, the body remained in the morgue. The family was denied custody of the body. Even in death, dignity was denied.
A Question for the State
How many laws will remain words on paper?
How many sisters must bury their brothers without justice?
How many custodial deaths will be disguised as “encounters”?
This is not just one family’s tragedy. This is a constitutional failure.
Final Words
May Allah grant patience and strength to the grieving sister.
May He guide those who wear uniforms but forget humanity.
And may justice not remain silent when a life is taken in custody.
This case demands accountability, not sympathy, not silence, not excuses.