Residents protest police inaction

They said policemen had taken a bribe and were not pursuing murder cases

FAISALABAD: Scores of residents of Chak 50-JB Burewala on Thursday staged a protest demonstration against Nishatabad police for failing to arrest murderers of two brothers killed last week.

The protesters gathered at Zila Council Chowk and staged a sit-in in front of the secretariat of the district government.

Talking to newsmen, Muhammad Waseem, one of the protesters, said two brothers, Nadeem and Saleem, had been clubbed to death by their cousins Sarfraz, Shahid, Zahid and Ali.

“They owed Sarfraz Rs500,” he said. “We complained to the Nishatabad police last week but no action has been taken on it,” he said.

He said the police did not want to arrest the suspects because they had taken a bribe.

“When we asked the investigation officer why the suspects had not been arrested even though several neighbours had seen them murder the brothers, he misbehaved with us,” he said.

The protesters later walked to the CPO’s office and shouted slogans against the police. They said an impartial investigation officer should oversee the case. They said the suspects should be arrested immediately.

The protesters also blocked University Road for traffic for several hours.

Later, a representative of the CPO met the protesters and assured them that the case would be investigated on merit.

He told them that those behind the killings would be apprehended soon. The protesters dispersed on his assurance.

Protest against women police

Scores of residents of Ghulam Muhammadabad Thursday staged a protest demonstration against women police for not registering a case against a man who had beaten a woman in public.

The protesters gathered at Aminpur Bazaar Chowk and blocked it for traffic.

Talking to newsmen, Khadija Gull, one of the protesters, said she had moved a complaint at the women police station against Habib alias Kaka for beating her in front of her house. She said the police did not want to register a case. She said she had been told to go away because she did not have a substantial claim. The protesters chanted slogans against police and suspended traffic at Aminpur Bazar intersection.

Later, a representative of the Gulberg SP met the protesters and assured them their grievance would be resolved soon.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 31^st, 2015.