KARACHI: A private security guard was arrested on charges of beating a pregnant woman after CCTV footage of the incident went viral on social media, prompting Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah to order his arrest.

“Police have taken action on a viral video on social media wherein a guard is seen torturing a woman,” said East-SSP Syed Abdul Rahim Sherazi.

He said that the guard, identified as Daud, was arrested in Noman Grand City, an apartment complex in Gulistan-i-Jauhar.

An FIR (745/2002) was lodged against him under Sections 337 (Shajjah), 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) of Pakistan Penal Code on the complaint of victim Sana Akram, he added.

The complainant stated in the FIR that she worked as domestic help at a flat in the apartment complex.

On the night of Aug 5, she said, her son, Sohail, had come at the reception of the complex to give her food but Abdul Nasir, Adil Khan, Mehmood Khalil and others of the flat union did not allow him to go to the flat. Upon which, she came downstairs and asked as to why they were not allowing her son. This enraged Adil, who started using swear words against her and then asked security guard Daud to beat her. The guard slapped her and then kicked her when she fell.

“I am five to six months pregnant...I felt pain and became unconscious,” she stated in the FIR.

The video of the incident went viral on social media and CM Shah took notice of it and directed the city police chief to arrest the person who dared attacking an innocent woman.

Published in Dawn, August 9th, 2022