Refusing to cooperate: ‘ASF men rough up Saudi embassy official’
Officials say Col Sukhari refused to cooperate and started the fight by slapping an official.
RAWALPINDI:
Airport Security Force personnel at the Benazir Bhutto International Airport allegedly entered into an altercation with the military attaché of the Saudi embassy on Thursday, after he refused to cooperate during security checks and abused Pakistan and called Pakistani officials his “servants”.
According to officials from the ASF, Colonel Sukhari, who was meant to fly out to Riyadh, refused to get a routine body check and started quarrelling with the security personnel at the airport. The ASF officials said that the military attaché insisted that he was not subject to a body search because he was a diplomat.
The Saudi embassy official became abusive and attacked the ASF officials, say eye witnesses. He also abused Pakistanis in general and called them “servant class,” said eyewitnesses.
An official from the Airport Police said the Saudi official started the fight by slapping an ASF official, identified as Idrees.
Following this, the ASF staff started trying to restrain Sukhari.
While speaking to the media at the airport after being medically examined, the colonel denied starting the fight and claimed that the security staff misbehaved with him and his son.
The embassy official added that he would initiate criminal proceedings against the ASF security staff.
The Saudi Embassy, refused to comment on the incident.
Medical Superintendent BBH Dr Asif Qadir Mir informed the media that a medical examination of Colonel Sukhari had been carried out, which showed that he was bruised. ASF officials also received injuries.
Sukhari was taken to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences by Saudi ambassador Abdul Aziz Bin Ibrahim for treatment. But no such relief was accorded to ASF officials, said sources.
No FIR has been registered.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 1st, 2012.
Airport Security Force personnel at the Benazir Bhutto International Airport allegedly entered into an altercation with the military attaché of the Saudi embassy on Thursday, after he refused to cooperate during security checks and abused Pakistan and called Pakistani officials his “servants”.
According to officials from the ASF, Colonel Sukhari, who was meant to fly out to Riyadh, refused to get a routine body check and started quarrelling with the security personnel at the airport. The ASF officials said that the military attaché insisted that he was not subject to a body search because he was a diplomat.
The Saudi embassy official became abusive and attacked the ASF officials, say eye witnesses. He also abused Pakistanis in general and called them “servant class,” said eyewitnesses.
An official from the Airport Police said the Saudi official started the fight by slapping an ASF official, identified as Idrees.
Following this, the ASF staff started trying to restrain Sukhari.
While speaking to the media at the airport after being medically examined, the colonel denied starting the fight and claimed that the security staff misbehaved with him and his son.
The embassy official added that he would initiate criminal proceedings against the ASF security staff.
The Saudi Embassy, refused to comment on the incident.
Medical Superintendent BBH Dr Asif Qadir Mir informed the media that a medical examination of Colonel Sukhari had been carried out, which showed that he was bruised. ASF officials also received injuries.
Sukhari was taken to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences by Saudi ambassador Abdul Aziz Bin Ibrahim for treatment. But no such relief was accorded to ASF officials, said sources.
No FIR has been registered.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 1st, 2012.