Observer Report
Peshawar
Demonstrators pelted stones at a police van on Friday as protests continued over a video of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police brutality that went viral two days ago. The video showed the law enforcement personnel torturing, and forcibly stripping a man naked, allegedly after he abused the police department in an intoxicated state.
The SSP Operations said that a contingent of the police had been deployed to control the protesters. As the protesters had the road blocked, they were later said to have been dispersed by the police who claimed to have taken control of the area.
A day earlier, on June 25, demonstrators had blocked the Sher Shah Suri Road and burnt tires in protest. They demanded action against the accused cops, and decried the government’s claims of bringing about police reforms in K-P.
Demonstrations were also held outside the press club and the provincial assembly.
The protesters called for justice for Amir, and expressed lack of faith in an inquiry conducted by the police department itself. They called for a judicial commission instead.
As protests grew violent, a man on a motorcycle was also beaten up by the mob that accused him of being an accomplice of the police. The police eventually dispersed the protesters and vehicular traffic resumed. The matter was also brought up before the Peshawar High Court the same day, whereas the government announced a judicial commission to investigate the issue. The accused police officers were handed over to the police for a two-day physical remand.
K-P IGP and Peshawar CCPO appeared before the court responding to summons by Justice Qaiser Rashid Khan. ‘What is happening, in which direction are the police headed,’ asked Justice Khan of the IGP. The history of police is full of sacrifices, and yet, on the other hand, we have such incidents, he remarked. This incident has shaken the foundations of society, observed the judge. The entire department is getting a bad name due to the black sheep, he added.
‘You have appointed abnormal people as SHOs. The position of an SHO comes with great responsibility, you should test to see if they are mentally sound before appointing,’ remarked the judge. Justice Khan directed the police officials to conduct an inquiry into the incident, but cautioned against ‘giving a clean chit’ to the IGP, CCPO’s own people. ‘Also lodge an FIR against the personnel involved.’
The incident that occurred was an unfortunate one, said the IGP. He informed the court that the errant SHO and personnel have been suspended. Don’t excuse any of the personnel involved, conduct an inquiry and reprimand all those who were involved, remarked Justice Khan.
