Army promises justice in cop beating incident

ISLAMABAD: Police in Nowshera registered an FIR against two army officers on Monday for allegedly beating up a Motorway Police official three days ago. The military, meanwhile, said they were investigating the incident and that ‘justice will be done’.

According to a copy of the FIR registered with Akora Khattak police, Nasir Khan of the National Highway and Motorway Police (NHMP) said that on Saturday afternoon motorway officials on patrol were informed about two cars recklessly speeding down the GT Road towards Jahangira. When the officials signalled them to stop, the two cars reportedly accelerated and sped away.



Motorway police gave a chase and finally managed to stop the two, identified by Nisar as Captain Qasim and Captain Danial, near Itefaq Kanta.

“When the officers approached to convey the drivers about their violation of law and to issue ticket, the two drivers became rash and flared up,” Nisar wrote in his complaint. One of them, the complainant claimed, allegedly pointed a pistol at the police patrol team.

In the midst of the altercation, one of the car drivers made a phone call and within a short time over two dozen army men in four military vehicles arrived at the spot.

They then allegedly thrashed the police officials with ‘butts of their guns and batons’.

The NHMP officials including the complainant, Inspector Mohsin Toru, Head Constables Shah and Atif Khattak, and driver Shah Zeb were bundled into the army vehicles and a Prado before being taken to the Attock Fort.

While filing the FIR, the Akora Khattak police included sections 279 (rash driving), 186 (obstructing a public servant), 353 (assaulting a public official), 506 (criminal intimidation), 365 (kidnapping), 342 (wrongful confinement), 148 (rioting with arms) and 149 of the Pakistan Penal Code in the report.

Incident being probed

In a statement released on Monday, a spokesperson for the military’s media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), said they were investigating the incident.



“Referring to the sad incident of scuffle between officials of Motorway Police and two young army officers, the matter is being inquired,” the ISPR said in a brief statement. “Law will take its course in disposing the case and justice will be done,” it added.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 13^th, 2016.