FAISALABAD: The Gulberg police registered a case against eight policemen including two traffic wardens and an ASI on the allegation of torturing and illegally detaining a lawyer near Jinnah Colony on Wednesday.

Submitting an application to police, Advocate Mazhar Iqbal said he was on way to the District Courts by car when a warden, Riaz, signalled him to stop. He said the warden questioned him for using mobile phone while driving for which he immediately apologised. “Instead of letting me go, the warden got hold of my car key and forcibly made me come out and also used abusive language. He then drove the car toward the Gulberg police station as I left the spot along with my colleagues Salman and Irfan,” said the lawyer.

He further alleged that Riaz, along with Farooq, ASI Hanif and five other policemen, chased him and flagged him down on Jail Road near the National Bank of Pakistan’s main branch and beat him before taking him to the police station. Police also manhandled some other lawyers who, the complainant said, came to plead his innocence.

The District Bar Association members announced strike and demanded action against the officials which prompted police to register a case against eight men under section 155-C of Police Order.

Published in Dawn, May 25th, 2017