RAHIM YAR KHAN: The district police officer (DPO) has suspended the assistant sub inspector (ASI) of Sadiqabad Saddar Police Station from service and issued directions for further departmental proceedings against him in the wake of the incident of foreign cyclists.

ASI Liaqat Ali had allegedly tortured and misbehaved with three cycling tourists, Alex Sidney of Italy, Charlie West of the UK and Motahhareh Abbasi of Iran, touring across Pakistan. Alex and Motahhareh had entered Pakistan from Iran while Chalie joined them in Karachi. They were on the way to Lahore when the incident happened in the Sadiqabad Saddar police area. Alex has been on the tour of the world for the last two years while Charlie has been doing the same for the last eight months.

DPO Rizwan Umar Gondal, speaking in a video message, termed the security of the touring cyclists very significant and the first priority of police. Explaining the incident with cyclists, Gondal said the video viral on social media was there as a proof. He said the tourists were going to Lahore from Karachi and it was the duty of police to provide them with security but they were avoiding the security due to which the ‘atmosphere’ turned aggressive between tourists and police.

Referring to Pakistan-Iran issue, Mr Gondal said one of the tourists, a woman, belonged to the country where some Pakistanis were murdered recently while the foreigner tourists wanted to go in the area of Sindh where Katcha operation was initiated against criminals a few months back so in such circumstances their security was important.

After the incident, the DPO said, Sadiqabad AC Hammad Hamid and Saddar ASP Khurram Mahesar went to the tourists’ hotel and informed them about the situation after which they agreed to get police escort. The cyclists were given Ajraks and Sindhi caps as gifts which they accepted, he added.

On the other hand, Alex, Charlie and Motahhareh are still staying in the Sadiqabad area and they would visit famous Bhong Mosque in Bhong town, the Gath Beri Lake in the Cholistan desert and some other places, according to local sources.

Published in Dawn, January 31st, 2024