Two Suspects Killed in Alleged CTD Encounter in Lahore’s Kahna Area

LAHORE: Two suspects were killed during an alleged armed encounter with the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) in the Kahna area of Lahore late Thursday night. According to official police sources, the deceased suspects were fatally shot by the firing of their own accomplices who ambushed the law enforcement team during a routine transit operation.

The incident transpired when a specialized CTD team was escorting the detained suspects to a designated location for the recovery of illegal weapons and the identification of a criminal hideout. Upon reaching a desolate stretch in Kahna, a group of unidentified armed assailants opened indiscriminate fire on the police convoy in an attempt to free their associates. A fierce gun battle ensued, during which the two custody suspects were caught in the crossfire and killed by their accomplices’ bullets, while the attackers fled the scene under the cover of darkness.

This latest shootout underscores the persistent security challenges in Punjab’s provincial capital and brings the controversial practice of “police encounters” back into the public spotlight. While law enforcement agencies assert that these operations are critical for dismantling dangerous criminal networks, civil society and human rights advocates consistently demand rigorous judicial inquiries into such incidents to ensure transparency and uphold the rule of law.

Following the encounter, a heavy contingent of the Punjab Police arrived at the scene to secure the area and initiate a comprehensive search operation to track down the fleeing suspects. The bodies of the deceased have been shifted to a local hospital for forensic post-mortem examinations, and a high-level inquiry committee has been constituted to investigate the exact circumstances surrounding the shootout.