LAHORE: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has called for an urgent judicial inquiry into deaths linked to Punjab’s Crime Control Department (CCD). The HRCP alleges the CCD uses staged police encounters causing extrajudicial killings. Established last year to fight organized crime, the CCD reportedly carried out 670 operations in eight months during 2025. These led to the deaths of 924 suspects, while only two police officers died in the same period, the HRCP stated. This large imbalance suggests an "institutionalised practice" rather than isolated events. The HRCP’s report highlights violations of Pakistan’s domestic laws and international human rights commitments. It points out that mandatory investigations of custodial deaths by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) under National Commission for Human Rights oversight were often ignored. At times, courts had to order investigations. Magisterial inquiries required by law were also missing in many cases. The commission noted the Punjab government, CCD, and police officials did not respond to its requests for meetings. This silence signals reluctance to address serious human rights issues. Families of the deceased reportedly faced pressure from police to bury bodies quickly, with warnings against legal actions. The HRCP labeled this "criminal intimidation" and obstruction of justice. It raised concerns that CCD press reports follow a scripted narrative claiming suspects fired first and police acted in self-defense, making the operations appear coordinated rather than factual. Stressing that public safety cannot come from "lethal shortcuts," the HRCP recommended an immediate ban on encounter operations in Punjab until legal safeguards and independent oversight are set up. It urged that all such deaths be investigated by the FIA with NCHR supervision, an independent civilian police oversight body be created, and compensation be paid to victims' families. The HRCP had earlier warned in October 2024 of a deadly surge in police encounters, which hurt public trust and promoted state-sanctioned violence. Punjab police, however, submitted a report in January stating that the CCD helped reduce serious crime and denied claims of fake encounters or unlawful killings.