Investigation of clash at FIA office begins

LAHORE:

The Civil Lines investigation officer (IO) visited the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) office on Tuesday to view video footage and interview witnesses to a confrontation there last Friday which has enraged staff at the office.

Civil Lines police has registered two FIRs regarding the incident. According to one FIR, registered on the complaint of an FIA sub inspector, a lawyer named Anwarul Haq Tarar, accompanied by five men, beat up Constable Azhar Zaman when he stopped and questioned them as to the purpose of their visit to the FIA provincial headquarters on Friday. They also allegedly snatched the gun of the Ranger guard, Mujtaba, on duty at the main gate of the FIA office. FIA Assistant Directors Chaudhry Zulfiqar and Sheikh Ijaz and Inspector (Security) Syed Taseer Shah tried to intervene, but were allegedly threatened and roughed up. According to the other FIR registered on the complaint of the FIA director, the security guards had threatened the lawyers and his companions and had opened fire at them.

The FIA director suspended the constable involved last Friday. The investigation officer visited the office on Tuesday and viewed footage of the incident, recorded by cameras installed at the main gate and elsewhere. He also interviewed office staff, who were angry at the suspension of the constable and believed him to be a victim of political pressure on the director, said FIA sources.

No arrests have been made so far, the IO told The Express Tribune.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 11^th, 2012.