Citizen's brutal torture sparks outrage

Ten men brutally tortured a citizen in public in the Gawalmandi area within the jurisdiction of the City Police Station.

The assailants stripped the man, chained him, and dragged him on the ground. A video of the violent incident has surfaced online.

Police have registered a case and arrested the prime suspect. The footage shows armed men beating the victim with sticks, pipes, and kicks while he pleads for mercy. The victim was reportedly assaulted after he complained about the establishment of a scrap warehouse in a residential area.

Police said the case was registered after the video emerged, though the exact time and date of the incident are not yet known.

City Police Officer (CPO) Syed Khalid Hamdani said the case was filed on behalf of the police once the footage appeared. The armed prime suspect seen in the video has been arrested, while raids are underway to capture his accomplices.

He said, "No act of violence against any citizen will be tolerated. The culprits will be arrested and brought to justice."

Police launched a late-night crackdown in Gawalmandi following the incident, arresting six suspects including the main accused, Junaid alias Jeeda. Senior police officials convened an emergency meeting and added sections of the Anti-Terrorism Act and other serious charges to the case.

The incident's video surfaced on Wednesday, prompting the registration of the case. According to a police spokesperson, City Police, under the instructions of CPO Syed Khalid Hamdani, conducted overnight raids in Gawalmandi and arrested six individuals involved in the assault.

Raids are ongoing to nab the remaining suspects.

Police confirmed that no complaint was initially filed, and the case was registered on behalf of the police after the video went viral.

CPO Hamdani reiterated that no perpetrator would escape justice.

According to sources, the arrested suspects include Junaid alias Jeeda, Roheel, Yasir Khan, Faisal Masih, and Samar Abbas. Senior officers, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Express Tribune that sections 7 and 11-WW of the Anti-Terrorism Act have been added, along with PPC sections 292 and 342 for making the obscene video and unlawful confinement.

A meeting held at Police Lines, attended by government prosecutors, decided to expand the charges. The case, filed by City Police, states that the suspects tortured the citizen, Haris, after chaining and stripping him in response to his complaint about a scrap warehouse.