The National Highway in Sindh’s Nawabshah was opened for traffic on Friday after the families of four men, who were killed in a joint operation of police and Rangers, called off their sit-in against the killings.

The development came after the caretaker government formed a three-member inquiry committee. The Shaheed Benazirabad commissioner had successful negotiations with protesters.

On Thursday, the families blocked the road after four men were killed during an “exchange of fire with police and Rangers” in a joint operation near Sakrand.

The inquiry committee would be headed by Hyderabad Commissioner Khalid Hyder Shah and include the Shaheed Benazirabad deputy inspector general of police (DIG) and Karachi DIG Special Branch.

The committee would investigate the matter to “determine the reasons of this clash resulting in loss of precious lives and injuries to law enforcement personnel”.

Caretaker Sindh Chief Minister Justice (retd) Maqbool Baqar has asked the committee to submit the report within four days.

“Such kind of incidents are painful and shouldn’t take place,” Baqar told reporters after attending a Rabiul Awwal procession at New Memon Mosque in the evening on Friday.

The interim chief minister expressed his sorrow and regret over the incident. He said he had held a meeting with interim Sindh Home Minister retired Brigadier Haris Nawaz and sought the incident’s details.

In a post on X, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) urged that an independent investigation into the incident should be conducted.

“While the government should take all possible steps to improve law and order in the province, this in no way excuses extrajudicial killings, which HRCP has always opposed,” it said, adding that the protesting families deserved justice.

The protesters had called for a judicial inquiry into the incident.

The FIR was registered under sections 302 (intentional murder) and 324 (murder attempt) of the Pakistan Penal Code.

In a statement on Thursday, the Sindh Rangers said a joint operation was conducted along with the police in Sakrand following intelligence reports on the presence of criminal elements.

“There were reports of high-value criminals in possession of explosives and firearms,” it stated.

“Upon seeing Rangers and police, the armed miscreants opened fire, injuring four Rangers personnel. In retaliatory fire, three miscreants were killed,” the statement added.