Uzma Bukhari Criticises Hina Parvez Butt Over ‘Instant Justice’ Post on Multan Suspect’s Death

LAHORE:Punjab Information Minister Uzma Bukhari has criticised Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Hina Parvez Butt over her social media post describing the death of a suspect in a police encounter as “instant justice,” saying such statements cause embarrassment for both the lawmaker and the government.

Speaking on Geo News, Bukhari was asked about Butt’s post regarding the death of Tauqeer Nazir, the main suspect in a case involving the death of a 15-year-old orphan, Waseem Abbas, who was allegedly run over by a vehicle in Multan.

Butt had written on social media platform X that under the government of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, “instant justice” was delivered. Following criticism from journalists, lawyers and social media users, she deleted the post.

Bukhari said she did not want to comment extensively on Butt’s social media activity but acknowledged that such statements created difficulties for the government.

### Minister Says Suspect Would Have Been Convicted by Court

Explaining the circumstances surrounding the suspect’s death, Bukhari said police had reported that Nazir escaped from custody and that two individuals had also attempted to help him escape.

She said police subsequently established checkpoints and attempted to stop the suspects near Bahawalpur, but they did not stop.

Bukhari maintained that Nazir would have been convicted had he been presented before a court. However, she rejected the suggestion that Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz had instructed police to conduct encounters.

She also said that not every case handled by the Crime Control Department (CCD) resulted in a police encounter, adding that crime rates in Punjab had declined since the department was established.

According to Bukhari, seven CCD personnel had been killed and more than 100 injured in encounters with alleged criminals over the past year.

### Public Debate Over Extrajudicial Killings

Butt’s now-deleted post triggered criticism from journalists, lawyers and social media users, who questioned how a suspect’s death in a police encounter could be described as justice without a judicial trial and conviction.

Journalists Bashir Chaudhry and Sidra Dar, among other commentators, expressed concern over the growing tendency to portray police encounters as a form of instant justice. They stressed that courts have the authority to determine guilt and impose sentences, and that police must remain subject to the law.

Questions also remain about the circumstances of Nazir’s death. Although police described the incident as an encounter, its precise circumstances require transparent and independent investigation.

### Minister Reveals Orphaned Boy’s Difficult Circumstances

Bukhari also shared details about Waseem Abbas’s life, saying the boy had faced severe financial hardship following his father’s death.

According to the minister, the child worked for the suspect in exchange for two meals a day. She added that the boy had previously attempted to escape from the workplace.

Describing the incident as deeply tragic, Bukhari said the state had a responsibility to stand with victims and ensure justice for affected families.

The controversy comes amid a wider national debate over police encounters and alleged extrajudicial killings following the deaths of suspects in cases involving Waseem Abbas in Multan and Laiba Ejaz in Islamabad.

The circumstances surrounding these incidents have intensified calls for accountability, due process and independent investigations into deaths occurring during police operations.