KARACHI, April 24: The provincial Ombudsman, Justice Haziq-ul- Khairi, has directed the Inspector General of Police to get a flat vacated forthwith by the police personnel and allow free movement of the inmates of the said flat.

The complainant, Hajira Bibi, had approached the Ombudsman with her grievance that police personnel, namely SP Farooq Awan, DSP Zulfiqar Junejo, Inspector Sajjad Hayder and Sub-Inspector Fayyaz had forcibly entered her son’s flat no C-1, Fahad Square, Sector 15-C, KDA Scheme, Gulzar-i-Hijri, about a month back and remained in continuous possession thereof, keeping her daughter- in-law and five minor children in their continuous illegal and wrongful confinement.

The Ombudsman appointed Aftab Ahmed Qureshi, Director General and Saiyid Iqbal Hasan Rizvi, Advisor to Ombudsman as commissioners with the authority to conduct inspection and investigation, to enter the premises if necessary and record the statement of the inmates of the house and police officials.

As per the report of the commissioner, three police officials, namely Constable Obaidullah (Buckle No 1111), Head Constable Koro Khan (Buckle No 5221) and Assistant Sub-Inspector Munir Ahmed (Buckle No 3508) were found inside the well-furnished room of the said house, while the remaining three rooms were in occupation of the complainant’s daughter-in-law, Sofia and her five minor children, her brother and younger sister, Nausheen.

The police officials, in their joint statement, took the stand that they were performing duty round-the-clock for three days inside the house under orders from their superiors, including DSP Zulfiqar Junejo, because they have to arrest the complainant’s son, Asif Ramzi, who belongs to Lashkar-i-Jhangvi.

The police officials could not produce any legal order authority under which they were allowed entry inside the flat and to reside or stay there. It was admitted by them that the inmates of the house also provided food to them.

Under the aforesaid circumstances, the Ombudsman directed the IGP to get the flat vacated by the police personnel. Notices were also ordered to be issued to DIG (CID), SP Farooq Awan, DSP Zulfiqar Junejo, Inspector Sajjad Hyder and Sub-Inspector Fayyaz to appear in person before him on April 26 at 9.00am.—PPI