TAXILA: The Wah Saddar police allegedly hired private forces to run official affairs, including arresting, interrogating, torturing suspects, and presenting them in a court.

This was exposed when a video went viral on social media in which a man without a uniform while holding the handcuffs of an under-trial prisoner was taking him to the courtroom. The man, as stated by sources, was not a cop but part of a private force hired by the police station.

Another video also went viral when an under-trial female who was arrested on charges of drug trafficking in her video statement alleged that the same person has subjected her to torture in the absence of any lady police constable.

She added that she was implicated in the drug trafficking case and that the recovery of drugs is ‘fake’. She questioned why a man who was not a cop subjected her to torture in front of many male policemen and why there was no lady police official present there.

She requested the inspector general of Police Punjab and regional police officer (RPO) Rawalpindi to constitute an independent inquiry into her arrest and ‘recovery’ as she has been implicated in the false case. “It seems that we still live in a colonial era where police consider themselves above any law,” Munaza Peerzada, chairperson of a local NGO said while commenting on the issue.

Altaf Hussain, a lawyer, while commenting on the issue of hiring private persons in detention and escorting under-trial prisoners, said that this is a complete violation of Police Rules 2002. He said that the regional police officer and city police officer should take action against the Wah Saddar police SHO under Section 155-C of police rules. Syeda Nargis, a vocal advocate for women’s rights, condemned the humiliation of female detainees.

Sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) Taxila circle ASP Kainat Azhar Khan has said that she would probe these matters and take action against concerned officials as per law if they were found guilty.

Published in Dawn, November 2nd, 2023