Law-enforcers?: SP Aslam’s guards run riot outside private school
According to eyewitness accounts, the director of studies (DoS) at CAS was attacked by around a dozen armed men outside the premises of the school in Phase VIII. The DoS also had a gun pulled to his head, with the assailants threatening to shoot him dead on the spot. The men also screamed profanities at other staffers of the school, and threatened to kill them, too.
The men were identified as the guards of SP Sindh police Chaudhry Aslam, who lives down the road from the school.
According to the details gathered from interviews of eyewitnesses, including parents, drivers and area residents, the incident took place around 12:30 pm.
One of the traffic wardens in the area routinely stopped a vehicle that was driving down the wrong side of the Khayaban-e-Rumi, it was said. The wardens have been put in place to ensure that traffic gridlocks, which clutter many roads outside 7 to 8 schools in the area, are avoided. They are also in place to ensure the safety of the children who study in the schools from incidents of rash driving that regularly cause accidents in the area.
The man who was going down the wrong side of the road stopped his vehicle, and started abusing the warden. Eyewitnesses say that the DoS had just arrived outside and was going from his car into the school.
The DoS then approached the man, and asked him to stop shouting profanities, given that there were children around. “It all seemed fairly routine,” said one driver who was parked outside, who stressed that he is very happy with the traffic management system in place in front of the school.
The guard then yelled that he was from the “agencies” and could do as he pleased — threatening the DoS that “he would show him who he was”. He returned back to the house belonging to SP Chaudhry Aslam - which is a few houses down from the school.
From there, he picked up the security of the SP, who then all descended upon the school within minutes. The DoS was still outside, speaking to his staff when the men came and surrounded him. “They came like flies,” said one parent, “I was coming out of the school with my child, and we ran from the spot, fearing they would open fire. I could see that they hit him a number of times - and also put a gun to his head. I was stunned.”
“It was brute thuggery. I was on the side, but I was afraid to intervene. I mean, it was… I don’t have the words. I shudder to think ‘what if that was me’,” said another parent. “I felt helpless.”
Yet another parent told The Express Tribune that while the incident itself was shocking, some factors made it even worse.
“Firstly, it took place outside a school - while children were present inside,” she said, adding that “weapons were openly brandished and pointed at staffers of the school. What if they had opened fire? What would happen to the kids?”
“Secondly, the men who did this are not common criminals - they are the security escort of a serving policeman. I don’t know if they themselves were policemen, since they were in civilian clothes - but still, surely he has to accept blame for this.”
She then adds: “Or maybe they are common criminals, despite being in the police.”
The Darakshan SHO, when contacted, played down the incident, saying nobody had lodged a complaint. When contacted, the principal of the school declined to comment, saying the matter had been reported to the DIG (CID) and he hoped action would be taken against the policemen.
When The Express Tribune contacted SP Aslam, he denied any knowledge of the incident. “I’ve been at work all day so I don’t know if anything happened.” Despite repeated attempts, the Home Minister of Sindh could not be reached for comment.
The incident has left a scar on dozens of parents and some area residents who witnessed it. Given the history and reputation of SP Aslam, they say, no one in the police force or the government has the “guts” to take action against him. This is not an isolated incident. A number of neighbourhood residents have complained of the “harassment” caused by the security of SP Aslam.
One parent summed up the helplessness they felt: “It was horrific. Will the high-ups of the police not take note of this incident? Who will take note? Probably no one.”
*Eyewitnesses have asked that they not be named.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 10th, 2011.
COMMENTS (11)
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Well, i don't think their will be support in thousands. There were sit-ins for the re-location of the police station to a more non-residential and less populated also for the re-location of high value targets. Result was barely 20 people showed up. The issue is not only for this area, it is for every area in Karachi or even Pakistan. All Police Stations should be re-located to that part of an area where there is minimum loss of life, it can never be zero. It is the poor planning of our housing society's that they let police stations or high value targets located near densely populated residential area's.
There is another ''school zone'' as well nearby. The real issue is that DHA has not bothered to allot any parking space, nor has it designed a traffic plan for all the cars that converge here. Unbelievably, there are no pavements either. Several major accidents have already taken place, with serious injuries and one fatality. Further, a policeman who is on every terrorist's hit list was granted an NOC to live here, near 6000 children. The result: a bomb blast killed a mother and child on the way to school while the well guarded policeman stayed safe. Even now his unoccupied, under-repair house is surrounded by thuggish, seemingly inebriated guards who are a menace to the area. The cherry on top - children are neighbours of the thaana, with all that implies. DHA deserves to be soundly punished for this truly ridiculous state of affairs. We need a solution that involves safer traffic flow, pedestrian walkways, pavements, parking areas, and removal of the thaana and high profile targets. The media should play its part. DHA residents committee, do something, provide guidance! You will have the support of thousands.
This incident is disgusting to say the least- Mr Sami Mustafa runs a very responsible ship- He has guts n has been very supportive towards all parents If v as citizens decide we dnt want this nonsense frm the lawmakers , Perhaps some change may b in order- I won't b shocked if investigations show that the blast @ sp as am chaudhry,s was A natak on hs part- publicity ploy or insurance scam!
How many warnings do we think Allah Kareem will give us. Yet we choose to believe that if we keep our eyes closed long enough everything will just go away. Thats not how things work. PLEASE WAKE UP and support the petition not just on paper but physically by being there when we protest on streets and by attending the court hearing.... please think about what your priorities should be. CHILDREN AND CRIMINALS SHOULD NOT BE NEIGHBOURS. Dont u agree to this? CHILDREN SHOULD NOT BE WITNESSING DISPLAY OF GUNS AND BRUTALITY. Let them be children please. We try our best not to take them to places where incidents like these are more likely to happen, but if you put police stations with lockups for criminals and these high risk targets right in the middle of schools and houses, where are we suppose to take our kids. Tthese so called public servants and authorities civilian or defence are they there to protect and serve us or to walk over us left, right and center? Either we stand up and fight or we just keep quite and stop complaining. Specially mothers, please forget about ur committee parties and coffee mornings, your kids tuitions or any other activities that u tend to blame for not being able to be a part of the efforts being made to give our kids a safe and healthy environment.
it was pure torture...
civil servants who behave in such a undignified illegal manner should be dismissed from service, having said that we all know what an disgusting act took place and i am sure this Aslam chap has some education which enables him to understand the prevailing fear factor amongst the residents of the locality.if what i read above is true "The men were identified as the guards of SP Sindh police Chaudhry Aslam" then the only question which remains to all of this is where is the FIR against these chaps., if no FIR is cut then i advise the injured to go to court and have a FIR cut via their intervention, it is also a known fact all these schools have cameras recording's outside going on's so just use them.
Actually a petition has already been filed by parents and residents re: removal of such ''high profile'' controversial people from living in the middle of schools, among other things. So don't assume no one is ''standing up''. What is required now is widespread support from people like you and me.
....and we do nothing about the blatant politicisation of the law enforcement agencies.
I am sure a lot of people wonder how aslam and these policemen are any better than the taliban who tried to kill him. both taliban and policemen like aslam and his security protocol are two sides of the same coin. no wonder this country has gone to dogs. and that is exactly where it belongs because although so many people admit to witnessing this event none are willing to come forward and take up the issue in the courts. ur children will live up to be exactly like you - spineless and worthless - unless you show them what courage actually means. otherwise bear this silently and stop complaining.