LAHORE:
The Crime Control Department (CCD) has crossed the 100-mark in murders during its ongoing campaign against suspected drug traffickers and narcotics networks across Punjab, raising renewed concerns among human rights organizations regarding the scale, methods and transparency of the operations.
The latest incident occurred on Monday night in Lahore, when five suspects in custody were killed in an alleged exchange of fire.
CCD staff were reportedly escorting detainees for a recovery operation when “unidentified assailants”, believed to be accomplices of the suspects, ambushed the team.
The deceased have been identified as Rafaqat, Shahid Akram, Zahid, Nadir Afzal and Kamran Iqbal, all arrested earlier in cases registered in Model Town, Township, Iqbal Town and Saddar divisions. Authorities said the suspects were shot during the crossfire, while CCD personnel were unharmed. Their bodies were taken to the morgue for a forensic medical examination.
Although no consolidated provincial statement has been issued by the CCD or the Punjab Police, media reports indicate a rapid escalation in encounter-related deaths: in the last 48 hours, 18 suspects linked to ICE trafficking were killed in separate operations in Lahore, Sheikhupura and Kasur. Earlier this week, another 23 suspected drug traffickers were killed in raids in Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Okara and Sialkot.
In Lahore alone, at least 22 deaths have been reported during multiple nighttime encounters since the crackdown began. Additional deaths have been reported in Rahim Yar Khan, Bahawalpur and Sargodha districts.
The crackdown has also targeted law enforcement officials allegedly involved in drug trafficking.
At least 17 police officers have been arrested on charges of facilitating drug trafficking or maintaining links to narcotics networks, and departmental investigations are ongoing.
The rising number of deaths of suspects already in custody has drawn harsh criticism from human rights groups.
Legal observers note that in most cases, police have not identified or arrested alleged attackers, and independent verification of the facts remains limited.
Provincial authorities defend the CCD’s actions, stating that the campaign targets organized drug networks, particularly those that traffic synthetic drugs.
Officials maintain that armed clashes have intensified due to resistance from criminal groups.
Despite repeated calls for transparency, the Punjab government is yet to release an official district-wise breakdown of encounter deaths related to CCD operations.
As the campaign continues, the tally of more than 100 deaths has reignited debates about policing methods, accountability and oversight across the province.
