SAHIWAL: Up to 100 officials of the General Post Office (GPO) closed the office on Friday in protest at the manhandling of their senior postmaster officer, Sofia Qasim, in her office on Thursday and set up a protest camp near Yadgar Chowk.

On Thursday, district PTI information secretary Naveed Aslam allegedly slapped Ms Qasim, to which the city police registered a case against him under sections 506, 186, and 354 of the Pakistan Penal Code.

The suspect, however, got bail on Friday. Ms Qasim told reporters the police had favoured the suspect by incorporating bailable sections in the FIR. She demanded the inclusion of sections 506 (B) and 354 (A) in the FIR.

She told Dawn she was beaten and abused at her workplace by one of the senior district office-bearers of the ruling political party. She accused the police of dismantling the demonstration and supporting the suspect. She said DSP Mazhar Gondal called them twice, first at the city police station and later at the Civil Lines police only to waste their time. She demanded women harassment acts must also be included in the FIR.

The GPO, Multan Circle, also sent a three-member committee to investigate into the matter. Ms Qasim demanded that her department also launch a public complaint with the police. She demanded the chief minister look into the matter too.

Mr Aslam said he would give his side of the story at a press conference on Saturday. Post Office complaint cell in charge Amjad Abbas says the suspect never lodged any complaint regarding the working of the post office with the cell.

Published in Dawn, September 26th, 2020