Police have arrested the lawyer and are looking for his accomplice. PHOTO: FILE
FAISALABAD: Rail Bazaar police arrested a lawyer on Sunday for beating up and detaining a traffic warden who had fined him for not having a number plate on his motorcycle.
Traffic Warden Muhammad Shahbaz was deployed at the Clock Tower, Kutchery Bazaar, on Sunday. He signalled a man on a motorcycle without a licence plate to stop.
Rail Bazaar SHO said Advocate Izharul Haq got into an argument with the warden and threatened him with dire consequences if he issued a challan.
Shahbaz, however, fined Haq upon which the lawyer started beating him up and then called a colleague to help him, the SHO said.
Nadeem Nomi, a passer-by who saw the incident, told The Express Tribune that he saw the traffic warden demand registration documents for the vehicle, because it didn’t have a number plate. He said the man on the motorcycle started cussing at the warden. “He said how dare he [the warden] badger a lawyer and ask for registration documents for the motorcycle.”
Nomi said the warden argued back and said that he had the authority to take violators to task. “The warden said it did not matter whether the violator was a lawyer or not…he said he was duty-bound and would teach the lawyer a lesson for violating traffic rules.”
Haq then slapped the warden and called a friend to come and help him beat up the warden, Nomi said.
“His friend arrived in a few minutes and started beating up the warden…they then took the warden with them,” he said.
The SHO said that Haq and his friend took Shahbaz to their chambers where they ripped the warden’s uniform and snatched his challan book and wireless set. He said that they detained the warden in their chambers.
The traffic warden, however, managed to call some of his friends on his cell phone. His friends informed the police who arrived at the scene and rescued the traffic warden. The SHO said the lawyers fled from the chambers.
The police registered a case under Sections 353, 186 and 342 of Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) [use of criminal force to deter a public servant from discharge of his duty; hindering a public servant from performing his duty; illegal detention].
Operations SSP Irfan Ullah Khan took notice of the incident and ordered police to arrest the culprits without delay.
The SHO said they had arrested Haq and were looking for his accomplices.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 31st, 2015.
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