FAISALABAD: Carrying wooden sticks, a team of Ghulam Muhammadabad police allegedly ‘baton-charged’ people outside the fruit and vegetables market on Tuesday.

The people, including some fruit vendors, and customers were allegedly tortured to ensure implementation of the lockdown. Seeing the police action, people got panicky and moved away.

It merits mentioning that the government had allowed selling of fruit and vegetables and

other edibles till 6pm. However, a Ghulam Muhammadabad police mobile [van] and some bike riders turned up outside the vegetables market and allegedly started torture, frightening the vendors, customers and bystanders.

Footages [of torture by the policemen] went viral on social media which drew the criticism of public at large.

One of the policemen also snatched the wooden stick of a donkey cart owner who was passing by him.

A video clip showed a bulky policeman was torturing the people to ensure lockdown although his face mask was also below his nose.

The mobile vehicle driver kept announcing from the speaker that why people were present and they must go home.

SP Lyallpur Town Ahmed Arslan was contacted for his comments but he did not turn up for reply even after reading the message on his WhatsApp number.

SEALED: Two super stores were sealed by the district administration on Tuesday for selling the products other than the grocery items.

Supervisors of these stores were arrested and cases were registered against store owners.

City Assistant Commissioner Ayub Bukhari came to know that a super store on Sheikhupura Road and another on Canal Road were selling shoes, cosmetics, crockery and other products rather to abide by the lockdown restrictions.

Besides, dozens of people were also taken into custody from Regal Road where people were selling different products.

The operation was launched with the assistance of police and the municipal corporation who confiscated goods of the violators.

Published in Dawn, May 12th, 2021