'Police harassment' leads man end his life

Family accuses cops of detaining victim's son for 38 days

MIANWALI:

Driven to despair by alleged police harassment, a man reportedly committed suicide by jumping into the Thal Canal near Dheriyaro Wala on Thursday.

The family said Asif Khan Karam Khel had been visiting the police station for over a month and a half, seeking the release of his detained son Imran, a resident of Biroli, who had been held at the Mianwali Saddar police station for 38 days.

In a conversation with the media, Asif's uncle, Ziaullah, accused the police of severe mistreatment and shared that Asif had exhausted himself visiting the station to advocate for his son.

Ziaullah said, "When our nephew died, only then did the police release our grandson Imran.

Until yesterday, he was treated as guilty; now that we've suffered such a loss, they declare him innocent.

The police are responsible for Asif's death."

Ziaullah said the family faced demands for bribes from the police, which they were unable to fulfill due to financial hardship.

Search teams have now been deployed to recover Asif's body, with rescue teams and family members combing the Thal Canal.

This tragic event has sparked widespread public and social outrage.

When reached for comment, SHO Irfan Gujar of Saddar police station offered minimal response, claiming that Asif's son Imran had a history of drug use and theft, although he did not provide any documentation to support these allegations.

Efforts to reach DPO Mianwali Akhtar Farooq for a response were unsuccessful.

It has also emerged that after detaining Imran Khan for 38 days, Saddar police allegedly registered a theft case against him, though they have not released the official FIR.

The family of victim has demanded of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, IG Punjab and the RPO to investigate the Saddar police station's actions and protect citizens from such treatment.

Earlier, this week a case was filed against the investigation in-charge who registered a false case of drugs in Tandlianwala.

The CPO suspended the investigation in-charge. In the case filed by SHO Tarkhani, Sub-Inspector Adil Gulfam, against his investigation in-charge, Sub-Inspector Naseer Ahmed Aamir, it is alleged that the investigation in-charge filed a drug against his rival Akmal Masih, a resident of 220GB, due to personal grudge.

Akmal Masih and Riaz Masih were unaware of this case due to which they were declared pro-claimed offenders.

Riaz Masih applied for interim bail, on which an inquiry was conducted by the SP Saddar Division.