Hina Parvez Butt defends deleted post amid criticism over alleged encounter

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MPA Hina Parvez Butt has defended a now-deleted social media post about an

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MPA Hina Parvez Butt has defended a now-deleted social media post about an alleged encounter involving Punjab’s Crime Control Department (CCD), saying her remarks reflected the sentiments of an ordinary citizen.

The controversy erupted after a suspect accused of running over a teenage boy in Multan was killed in an alleged police encounter in Bahawalpur on Wednesday. The victim, Waseem, reportedly worked for the suspect, while a police officer described the treatment meted out to the teenager as an act of extreme brutality.

Reacting to the incident, Butt posted on X that justice was being delivered immediately under the government of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif. She also shared screenshots of a television report about the alleged encounter.

The post drew widespread criticism, with social media users accusing her of appearing to celebrate an alleged extrajudicial killing. Butt later deleted the post.

In a video statement on Thursday, the PML-N lawmaker maintained that her tweet expressed a personal opinion and was not intended to blame the chief minister, the provincial government or any institution. She described the criticism as unwarranted and said she had conveyed the feelings of an ordinary citizen.

Butt also responded to Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari, who had criticised her remarks during a television programme on Wednesday night. Bokhari said the lawmaker had a tendency to make statements without considering their consequences, creating difficulties and embarrassment for the government.

Rejecting the criticism, Butt said her words and actions had never embarrassed the chief minister or the provincial government. She acknowledged that Bokhari, as the government’s official spokesperson, was entitled to clarify its position but described the minister’s personal remarks against her as unnecessary.

The lawmaker further referred to incidents involving children and young people, arguing that public anger over crimes against minors should be understood in the context of the suffering experienced by their families.

She said she had met parents whose children had died in violent circumstances and questioned how anyone could remain unmoved by the reports about Waseem. Butt added that those defending suspects should also consider the pain of families who lose their children to brutal acts.

The controversy has renewed scrutiny of the CCD, which was established last year to tackle serious crime in Punjab. The department has faced criticism from human rights advocates and civil society groups over deaths in police encounters.

Earlier this year, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan alleged that the CCD had adopted a deliberate pattern of staged encounters resulting in extrajudicial killings, raising concerns about police accountability and the use of force.