Pakistan

Flaring tempers: Four arrested for injuring army official

A motorcycle hits the rear side of Maj Ahsan Saghir’s car in Islamabad

Obaid Abbasi April 16, 2015

A photo of Pakistan army. PHOTO: AFP

ISLAMABAD:

Four men were arrested from the garrison city on Wednesday for allegedly injuring a serving Pakistan Army official.

Maj Ashan Saghir was driving to the Race Course area when, at around 6pm, a motorcycle hit the rear side of the army official’s car, said the investigation officer (IO), Muhammad Mazhar. “An irate Saghir got into a heated argument with the motorcyclist, identified as Muhammad Rameez.”

The IO said Rameez was on his way home with his sister when, according to the motorcyclist, his two-wheeler skidded and hit the car.

“Seeing the verbal spat, the locals blocked the roads, shouted slogans against the army man and pelted his vehicle with stones.”

A heavy contingent of police arrived on the scene and used tear gas to disperse the protesters.

Potohar Division SP Muhammad Atiq Tahir said four people were arrested after Maj Saghir lodged a complaint at the Race Course police station.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 16^th, 2015.

COMMENTS (23)

Sirtaj khan | 9 years ago | Reply Nobody would deliberately hit his vehicle with those of others,nobody likes to get in troubles or be insulted by others,and in Pakistan people are scared of anyone in the uniform;either an army or a police official,they avoid even going near them let alone hitting their vehicles with purpose.If an army official's car was hit by a poor man's bike,although it was his fault,the army official should have dealt the situation like a gentleman,not like a monster;beating and dragging the poor man.We are proud of Pak Army,but if there are such officials who insult people on roads,who think themselves as an ultimate authority and no one can ask them for whatever they do,who know little human values and get aggressive towards public for small accidents,I request to the high rank army officials to discharge such officers because they give a bad name to a noble institution .Whatever the result has been it was because of the inability of the official who couldn't handle the situation like an army officer,like a man of manners and gave bad name to the whole army.

Raja Porus | 9 years ago | Reply I don't know why ET has to publish such news which is not even newsworthy and can elicit such foolish comments from some of our ungrateful countrymen as well as from our jealous enemies across the border.

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Nazia | 9 years ago | Reply scene of stupefication of superiority complex and its reaction from crowd.When raymond davis like dayligth killer whose crime had dozens of witness can flee from the country under safe custody of our law enforcing agencies then why not others can be bulldozed like that.

kaka | 9 years ago | Reply @Kugelblitz you have to pay income tax once your salary is 34k+ which frankly most of us are having, but only 8% pay the tax.... btw the same tax is used to build/maintain roads/infrastructure, airports, railways etc plus the 'military' people pay this tax by default (same is cut from their pay) along with all the indirect taxes you are talking about... so let some sense into your comment :) @all those crying about VIP culture, what was VIP in this? guy on bike was definitely at fault hitting the car from behind and they both caught up into a fight... its normal in Pakistan aint it? furthermore the officer didnt harm the lady in context... and all this is an eye witness account!!!!

Spyrogyra | 9 years ago | Reply Let's replace the mention of "army" in the story and let's assume for a moment that the guy in the car was a normal civilian. Let's then see what the sort of comments come in. Seems a lot of people have some beef with the army. Many of them will likely be living in and having properties in Cantonments or DHAs. Some might have bank accounts in Askari Bank and investments in Fauji Fertilizer. Others might have studied in Garrison, Army Public, AMC or NUST. Still others at some time might have been treated at a CMH. Some of them might be driving on roads constructed by the FWO and NLC, escorted by guards (preferably ex servicemen) armed with ammo coming from POF Wah. Some of them might not have wept on 16th December 2014. Army is not perfect, but at least better than most in this country. Of course, if it or any of its members misbehave or break the law, they should be taken to task. But let's not spew hate against them.

Civy | 9 years ago | Reply Army has become such a burden on national exchequer that pak ll remain a poor country forever. There is no rationale for Pak for feeding this mamooth size fauj and we need to priorities health and education first. Army should be converted to Bahria Town like real estate agency. It can then take care of its own expenses.

Yo | 9 years ago | Reply Dishonest Report! Mention of stones been pelted by protesters BUT not what the Major did before that !? For what the major did (Ridiculing/Beating him & his sister) he deserves more than a pelting of his car.

Ahmed | 9 years ago | Reply The Army official's car was hit from behind ! You have to have proper brakes when you're taking your bike out on road. Period.

pk | 9 years ago | Reply I am sick and tired of this tax thing. How many of you pay taxes. The tax to gdp ratio is 8%. And all of them salary persons including armed forces. As per sales tax is concerned salary person also pay tax. First pay direct taxes than inditect taxes will come down. Typical army bathers or I might say confused Pakistanis. As per incidence is concerned it was motor cycle driver fault as he hit from behind. And I know the army officer he is humble and winner of numerous software competition. Paper got his name wrong too what to talk about fair reporting. The khatoon or lady after realizing that they were at fault hurrled false accusations towards Maj and mob destroyed the car and manhandled officer. Shame on that lady.

Alvi | 9 years ago | Reply i am astonished to see the comments above..... especially abt the VIP culture, the taxes and all that... and one of the comments regarding that one does not have to be eye witness to believe wat actually happened... wow what an excuse to support their agenda.... the traffic rules say that in case of an accident its always the fault of vehicle which hits the other vehicle from the back side so as per the rule, its was the motor cyclist who was at fault..... then those two motor cyclists have provided wrong mobile nos and their home address which shows a malafied intention.... I read a comment regarding army taking major chunk of GDP, my friend plz do study the fact before writing it.... the complete defence budget is only 15% of the national budget,,,,, and the defence includes Army, Navy, Airforce and all civilians working in defence sector.... so plz just by saying that it was all fault of army man, u cannot prove the facts wrong

Kugelblitz | 9 years ago | Reply @Khan I know what tax returns mean bro. If you look closely, majority of the population don't even qualify to pay income tax to the state. I also agree that most of the elite do not pay their taxes but that does not change the fact that 17% GST is peeled off the skin of all Pakistanis irrespective of whether they want to pay it or not. And it's not just the army that runs on our taxes, the same goes for all the other state institutions. It's just that the Army takes the major chunk of our GDP. Our health and education expenditures are nothing compared to that. Regarding the beating incident, let's just not close our eyes. We all know what happened, one does not have to be an eye witness to believe something like this

Adnan Siddiqi | 9 years ago | Reply & then the khaki boys wonder why they have to pack their uniforms in the trunks of their private cars and only wear them once inside secure confines of a military zone.

Khan | 9 years ago | Reply @Kugelblitz Dear bro,plz refer to what i have written..."TAX RETURNS" which means voluntarily showing your assets and then submitting tax...17 % GST is what beyond the control of us all. Had it been in our control none of us would have paid it. Its not just Army but all government organisations run on that tax so why particularly attaching it always with Army?I have never seen any such association of tax thing with Police, Bureaucracy and the list goes on. Regarding beating the boy and his sister and then dragging on road??? I am sure you would have been an eye witness to this all.Please do not bend facts that much.

Adnan Siddiqi | 9 years ago | Reply No statement has emanated as yet on how supreme "Waqar" is and it's honor should never be disparaged and questioned.

Kugelblitz | 9 years ago | Reply @Khan Are you serious? Where else do you think their budget comes from? Every Pakistani, rich or poor, 17% GST on whatever he/she buys. Every government employee receives his salary/pension after tax deductions. That's where it comes from. What is wrong with that? He beat the boy and his sister and dragged them on the road before filing the complaint. That's wrong with it.

Khan | 9 years ago | Reply So no one is saying anything about the fault of the motorcyclist who had hit the car from the back and damaged the car.But everyone is eager to bash the Army guy. i have seen comments about taxes and would really like to know how many of you have actually filed tax returns in whole life? And about VIP culture, i really did not see anything as VIP here.He followed the law and lodged FIR with Police.what is wrong with that?

patriot | 9 years ago | Reply Actually I wouldn't blame the army person. These motorcycle riders have no respect for traffic rules and regulations driving with impunity without a licence or registration. My new car has been reduced to junk all due to them, and when you confront them everyone joins with them en mass.

Ali | 9 years ago | Reply Down with VIP culture! This army official is no different from politicians who keep passengers on an airlane waitin. In fact, he's worse than them. They at least act fearfully when enough people gang up on them, whereas he probably knew he wouldn't get into any trouble at all

Ahmed | 9 years ago | Reply @Raja Daahir: Your name suggests your pedigree and your upbringing. Your frustration against our army is quite understandable since you are an Indian. Its a simple case of road accident it happens everywhere since the biker hit the car from behind therefore he should be charged for this unintentional accident under the relevant laws as simple as that.

JD | 9 years ago | Reply Locals pelted the army man's vehicle with stones. This points towards something fishy since army is usually very popular among the public.

pakistani | 9 years ago | Reply and this is where we don't like the army. The need to behave properly in public. They are not our masters. The poor biker now has to pay the ultimate price of insulting the "dignified" army major. why don't we build separate roads for these VIP's? Let the poor man use these road. You have already ruined the country.

Raja Daahir | 9 years ago | Reply Locals protested against the Army Man, good, very good, Boots have ruled this country quite long enough, their days are numbered now.

Nouman | 9 years ago | Reply Runs on our taxes...beats us on road. Pakistan Army Zindabad.

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