Abuse of powers: MPA accused of ‘beating PR men
Police register case after workers stop train service.
MULTAN:
Railway Police registered an FIR in Bhakkar on Monday against a member of the Punjab Assembly and his 25 guards for beating staff at a railway crossing on Sunday.
Railways employees Tahir Mehmood, Zulfiqar and Abbas said they had closed a railway crossing in Kehror Lal Eisan, a sub district of Layyah, for a train on Sunday evening.
MPA Majeed Niazi and his guards were among the people waiting for the crossing to open. Niazi sent his guards to the gatekeepers asking them to open the crossing for the MPA.
They said when they refused to open the gate citing public safety, Niazi personally asked them to let his convoy through.
When they refused again, they said, the MPA got angry and he and his gunmen started beating the gatekeepers.
Some of the railway workers then lay on the track saying that they would they would stop the train if he kept on pressing them to open the crossing.
A number of PR employees later staged a protest demonstration demanding action against Niazi and his gunmen.
On Monday, hundreds of railway workers in Multan too staged a protest demonstration criticising the government for not taking any action against the MPA.
They blocked the railway track suspending train service for nearly eight hours. PR employees’ unions across southern Punjab also joined the protest that continued for more than four hours. They called off the protest after the authorities assured them that an inquiry would be launched and appropriate action would be taken against the MPA and his men, if they were found guilty.
Niazi said he had recorded his statement with the railway police senior superintendent (SSP).
“I hope the matter will be investigated on merit. Mehmood, Zulfiqar and Abbas were beating me when my guards came to my rescue,” the MPA told The Express Tribune.
A case has been registered against Niazi and his guards under Sections 120 and 121 of the Railways Act and 186 (obstructing public functions) of the Pakistan Penal Code.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 29th, 2014.
Railway Police registered an FIR in Bhakkar on Monday against a member of the Punjab Assembly and his 25 guards for beating staff at a railway crossing on Sunday.
Railways employees Tahir Mehmood, Zulfiqar and Abbas said they had closed a railway crossing in Kehror Lal Eisan, a sub district of Layyah, for a train on Sunday evening.
MPA Majeed Niazi and his guards were among the people waiting for the crossing to open. Niazi sent his guards to the gatekeepers asking them to open the crossing for the MPA.
They said when they refused to open the gate citing public safety, Niazi personally asked them to let his convoy through.
When they refused again, they said, the MPA got angry and he and his gunmen started beating the gatekeepers.
Some of the railway workers then lay on the track saying that they would they would stop the train if he kept on pressing them to open the crossing.
A number of PR employees later staged a protest demonstration demanding action against Niazi and his gunmen.
On Monday, hundreds of railway workers in Multan too staged a protest demonstration criticising the government for not taking any action against the MPA.
They blocked the railway track suspending train service for nearly eight hours. PR employees’ unions across southern Punjab also joined the protest that continued for more than four hours. They called off the protest after the authorities assured them that an inquiry would be launched and appropriate action would be taken against the MPA and his men, if they were found guilty.
Niazi said he had recorded his statement with the railway police senior superintendent (SSP).
“I hope the matter will be investigated on merit. Mehmood, Zulfiqar and Abbas were beating me when my guards came to my rescue,” the MPA told The Express Tribune.
A case has been registered against Niazi and his guards under Sections 120 and 121 of the Railways Act and 186 (obstructing public functions) of the Pakistan Penal Code.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 29th, 2014.