BAHAWALNAGAR: Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz on Wednesday sought a report from the Bahawalnagar DPO office over a viral CCTV footage of the Haroonabad city police station in which a political figure can be seen thrashing a lady doctor inside SHO’s room.

Dr Maryam Hussain told Dawn that Adeel Afzal, an influential politician and her husband’s cousin, was moving freely without getting an interim bail and threatening her family with dire consequences for pursuing the case.

She said despite the video evidence of the incident which clearly showed that she was abused, tortured and dragged inside the police station in the presence of the SHO, police let Afzal and his two accomplices Sohail Muhsin and Azam off the hook.

CM seeks report

She said she was abused at the behest of her husband, Dr Nauman, but police refused to register a case against the four nominated persons on her complaint. She alleged that hours later, police registered a case with a minor section against only one person (Afzal) by altering her complaint on the orders of SP Investigation Farooq Anwar during a visit to the said police station.

She alleged the SP was approached by an MNA and two MPAs, therefore, he not only refused to listen to her, but also forced her to stand outside his office in the middle of the crowd which had gathered there on the call of the politicians.

Dr Maryam alleged that due to intense political pressure, police not only refused to share the CCTV footage which she later got through a court order but they also suspended the SHO who was an eyewitness to the incident and wanted to take action against those responsible.

DPO’s spokesperson Shehzad Ishfaq said it was a six-day old incident in which Adeel, of Haroonabad’s Pakki Mandi, thrashed Dr Maryam. He said on June 24 Dr Maryam was called for a hearing by the city police station over a complaint filed against her by her husband, Dr Nauman Rashid. During the hearing, Afzal and Dr Maryam exchanged harsh words. On the complaint of the lady doctor, the city police arrested the man after registration of a case. However, the video of the incident went viral on June 29.

Meanwhile, a handout issued by the Bahawalnagar DPO Office said DPO Faisal Gulzar had removed the SHO because of his inaction and ordered an inquiry.

Published in Dawn, June 30th, 2022