SAHIWAL: Pakpattan Saddar police arrested an assistant sub-inspector (ASI) on Thursday after registering a case against him for slapping a female suspect during a raid at 39/SP village on July 12.

Action against ASI Malik Ijaz, posted at Chowki Farid Town, was taken on the orders of District Police Officer (DPO) Javed Chadhar, after a video of the torture of a woman during the raid surfaced on social media.

As per police sources, the ASI conducted a raid on a house in the village to arrest Amina Akram, a divorced woman named in FIR No 1119/25, registered on July 11, 2025, along with two male accomplices, Muzamil and Munir.

The suspects were accused of unlawfully occupying the residence of Amina’s ex-husband, Shabbir Ahmed, a motorcycle mechanic.

Shabbir, subsequently, lodged FIR No 1119/25 with Saddar police station under sections 447, 511, and 380 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), accusing Amina and her accomplices of trespassing, attempted criminal trespass, and theft of his (mechanic’s) tools and Rs500,000cash.

On July 12, ASI Ijaz, accompanied by a female police officer, led a raid to apprehend Amina. The police report states that Amina locked herself inside the house, prompting ASI Ijaz to enter the premises by jumping in from a neighbor’s residence.

Following an exchange of harsh words between the ASI and Amina, the police officer slapped her. A video of the incident, however, surfaced on social media 25 days later, sparking public outrage.

Taking notice of the video, the DPO ordered disciplinary action and registration of a case against the ASI.

Accordingly, FIR No. 1260/25 was registered under sections 354 and 155-C of the PPC against ASI Malik Ijaz on the complaint of Saddar police Station House Officer Khizer Hayat.

Published in Dawn, August 8th, 2025