Three SHOs suspended in Pak's Sindh province after police drone kills civilians

Karachi, Apr 23 (PTI) Three station house officers have been suspended and are under investigation after a botched up police operation using a drone killed four civilians, including two children, in Pakistan's Sindh province, a top minister said Thursday.
     The police used a drone during an operation to locate hideouts of dacoits in Saeed Lakho village on the outskirts of Khairpur town in Khairpur district but ended up killing four civilians on Wednesday.
     The deaths led to protests by members of the affected Dharija community, who have blocked the national highway causing severe traffic disruption.
     Home Minister Zia ul Hasan Lanjhar told the media in Karachi that an inquiry committee headed by the Sukkur range deputy inspector general police had recommended immediate suspension of three station house officers (SHOs), who were manning the area.
     “The police carried out an operation and used a drone against suspected dacoits on Wednesday morning in which SOPs were apparently not followed and four people were killed and their relatives claim they were innocent civilians,” Lanjhar said.
     He said the inquiry had ordered “strict legal and departmental action” against the SHOs, who led the operation and used the drone.
     The home minister said a transparent and comprehensive investigation was going on into the matter and could also lead to the arrest of the SHOs, who have been sent to Karachi on suspension duty.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)