KARACHI: Just a day after taking oath as a member of Sindh Assembly, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) lawmaker Dr Imran Ali Shah came under the spotlight when his video went viral on social media showing him intercepting a car and beating up its driver surrounded by his armed guards on the main Stadium Road.

The video sparked anger and condemnation from rights activists, politicians, showbiz and sports celebrities as well as general public started pouring in on Twitter and Facebook while the incident hit the headlines on Tuesday evening. The PTI MPA came up with a video message a few hours later to explain his position, calling the viral content “half truth”. However, his explanation cost him even more, as his party issued a show-cause notice to him over his action.

“Party has taken note of the altercation that has taken place in a public street where you are seen as beating up a citizen,” said the PTI show-cause notice addressing Dr Shah. “Your actions are not acceptable as seen in the video, therefore, you are required to present your version within the next 24 hours. Failing to do so, we’ll refer your case to the disciplinary committee for appropriate action.”

Party seeks explanation as video goes viral, victim says he perhaps blocked MPA’s convoy

In his video message, the PTI lawmaker explained that he was actually helping out a “poor man” whose car had been hit multiple times by the man he thrashed on the road.

“I saw a poor man on the road whose car was being hit by that man [who was thrashed] time and again,” the PTI legislator said in the video that he posted on the social media. “I stopped both men and asked the one [he later thrashed] why he is doing this with the poor man. He looked so poor, as he was not wearing proper dress. I asked the man to apologise [to] that poor guy. While I was returning [after settling the issue], the man used abusive language and challenged me, which sparked anger.”

The video, however, showed the man clad in blue shalwar kameez being hit multiple times by Dr Shah. While he was returning to his vehicle that he had parked in the middle of the road, his guards armed with assault rifles grabbed the man and pushed him back into his car. There was no third party involved in the episode as shown in the video while a statement from the affected man belied the MPA’s claims.

“I was going to a hospital on Stadium Road in my car with my grandsons,” said the affected man Dawood Chohan while talking to a private news channel late Tuesday evening. “I am a government servant. I was driving smoothly and most probably while driving I blocked the way of Dr Shah’s convoy. He intercepted my car when traffic slowed down at the signal, came out of his vehicle, switched off my car’s engine and seized hold of the keys. When I came out, he burst out and started beating me up. When I shouted at him and questioned him, he returned and his guards started beating me up.”

Published in Dawn, August 15th, 2018