Joint inquiry launched into Bahawalnagar incident, says ISPR

Military laments certain elements exploited the situation to propagate divisive narratives on social media

RAWALPINDI:

In response to a disturbing event in Bahawalnagar, the military on Friday announced that a comprehensive joint inquiry, involving security and police officials, would be undertaken to ensure a thorough and fair investigation into allegations of law violations as well as misuse of authority.

The incident, which garnered widespread attention after videos depicting individuals in army uniforms purportedly assaulting police officials circulated on social media, sparked outrage among citizens and journalists alike.

The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) issued a statement addressing the incident, emphasising that prompt action was taken to address as well as resolve the matter collaboratively between the military and police authorities.

However, the ISPR regretted that certain elements with ulterior motives exploited the situation to propagate divisive narratives on social media, aiming to sow discord between state institutions and government bodies.

Earlier, the Punjab police also denounced what they termed as "false propaganda" surrounding the incident on various social media platforms.

Clarifying the situation, the police maintained that the incident had been misrepresented and blown out of proportion.

They stressed that upon the emergence of unverified videos, both the military and police promptly launched a joint investigation, which led to the peaceful resolution of the matter.

Refuting claims of a conflict between the army and cops, the Punjab police emphasised the ongoing cooperation between the two entities in combating terrorism and crime within the province.

They urged social media users to refrain from spreading misinformation and falsehoods.

Although details regarding the exact cause of the altercation were not provided by the provincial police, it was confirmed that senior officers from both sides facilitated a peace agreement between the involved parties.

A video capturing the reconciliation ceremony depicted officers from both institutions expressing solidarity and support for each other in the presence of their respective superiors.

In a video message, Punjab IGP Dr Usman Anwar described the Bahawalnagar incident as an attempt to create an impression of a conflict between two institutions on social media.

Read more: Punjab police censures 'fake propaganda' after videos of Bahawalnagar incident go viral

He added that both the institutions jointly took immediate action on the event.

Dr Anwar explained that the incident occurred because the standard operating procedures of special initiative police stations were not followed.

He added that high-ups from both the institutions immediately visited the area together, meetings were held, and the matter was resolved amicably.

The Punjab police chief referred to the ISPR statement, pointing out that a joint investigation inquiry had been set up to probe into the matter.

He added that the Punjab government had also set up an inquiry committee.

The Punjab IGP reiterated that an anti-State banned organisation was trying to create an impression of a conflict between institutions by using the incident as a basis.

He pledged that the Punjab police and all security agencies would continue to work together on the mission of making Pakistan safe by eliminating terrorists and miscreants from the country.

(With input from our News Desk in Karachi)