BAHAWALNAGAR: An ASI who was suspended from service over an alleged house trespass, was put behind the bars on Saturday by the A-Division police when he scuffled with other police officials and slapped them over their refusal to lodge an FIR against a lawyer.

According to the Saddar DSP office, the Bahawalnagar DPO suspended ASI Ismael Mohal and ordered the DSP Saddar to hold an inquiry against Mohal, who allegedly on the pretext of arresting a proclaimed offender, barged into the house of former Minchinabad Bar President Khalid Mehmood and tortured and abused his sister and paralysed mother on Oct 8.

The office said the Minchinabad bar went on strike for an indefinite period over the matter and demanded registration of case. The DPO assured the lawyers of an impartial inquiry.

On Oct 29, Mohal came to the DPO office and refused to appear for inquiry, however, he insisted on lodging an FIR against lawyer Khalid Wattoo (both the lawyer and the ASI belong to same tehsil) while criticising DPO’s decision of his suspension. When the officials refused to lodge the FIR, it said, Mohal started manhandling them, including complaint In-charge, and slapped and abused them.

Bahawalnagar DPO Quddus Baig told Dawn that the official had been previously booked in several cases over disciplinary violation, torture and abuse of complainants, harassing and blackmailing women and trans persons as well as murdering an arrested suspect in the police station between 2002 and 2020.

The DPO categorically declared that such black sheep would be dealt with an Iron hand.

Published in Dawn, November 1st, 2020