KARACHI: An activist, lawyer and independent candidate for both national and provincial assembly seats in the Clifton and Defence areas, Mohammad Jibran Nasir, was briefly detained on Monday by police for not giving way to the police squad of a Sindh High Court judge, said the activist.

However, Karachi South SSP Omar Shahid told Dawn that the activist had “blocked” the judge’s vehicle in the Clifton area.

Saddar SP Asif Ahmed Bughio said that Mr Jibran was driving on Chaudhry Khaliquzzaman Road in Clifton when the convoy of the SHC judge approached from behind his car.

Members of the judge’s security squad signalled Jibran to give way. Jibran reportedly refused to oblige, following which some of the security personnel “misbehaved” with the lawyer and he was taken to the Frere police station, the SP said.

However, Mr Jibran, contesting election from NA-247 and PS-111 as an independent candidate, in a video uploaded on his Facebook page and later talking to the media at the police station said that when he crossed Chief Minister House and reached the traffic lights near the Karachi Club, the judge’s squad signalled to him to give way.

Mr Jibran said he indicated through his hand to the squad that since there were vehicles in front of him and on the side as well, he could not give them passage.

He said his response apparently irked the police squad who disembarked from their mobile van as he descended from the bridge.

The lawyer alleged that he was bundled away by the protocol of the judge after he was beaten up and his clothes were torn, which could be seen in the CCTV footage.

Jibran added that his car was pushed to the roadside by the protocol and when he stopped them, he was struck with the “chamber of a gun”.

He said the squad also snatched his mobile phone and took him out of his car forcibly. He was forced to sit in the police mobile.

Jibran said when he told the squad that he was a lawyer, they talked to the judge on the phone who told them to “leave him”.

The activist said that despite this, he was taken to the Frere police station, where the police subjected him to “undesirable attitude”.

He, however, said he would not demand the removal of the policemen because they had been “taught” that and they represented a particular mindset, subjecting the people to similar treatment.

“Am I a criminal or an innocent person?” said the activist, adding that why had the policemen torn his clothes and slapped him.

However, SSP Omar Shahid said Jibran Nasir had “suddenly” blocked the vehicle of the judge on Chaudhry Khaliquzzaman Road. He added that the activist “forcibly” sat at the police station by declaring himself as “arrested” though he was not.

If the activist wanted to record his version of the event and submit a written complaint, the police would look into it, said the SSP.

Jibran was at the police station till late in the night.

Published in Dawn, July 3rd, 2018