SHO demoted, suspended for ‘assaulting’ lawyer in Karachi’s Gulistan-e-Jauhar

• Police say the officer on duty behaved inappropriately towards the lawyers.
• As a result of the fight, several lawyers and policemen were injured.
• After negotiations, a case was initiated against the SHO.

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KARACHI: A station house officer (SHO) was suspended and demoted on Wednesday after he assaulted a lawyer, sparking hours of clashes between law enforcement officials and several lawyers at the Gulistan-e-Jauhar police station.

The clash took place when senior lawyer and Sindh High Court (SHC) member Qadir Rajpar arrived at the police station with a client who had received a court order to release the vehicle.

Rajpar, however, alleged that the SHO and other staff misbehaved with him and disobeyed court orders. Following this, a large number of lawyers gathered outside the police station and blocked the road.

A fight broke out between lawyers and police, with both sides claiming injuries. Police said the lawyers tried to enter the station, and several officials were injured in the attack.

On the other hand, the police reported that a man dressed in plain clothes, who was not wearing a lawyer’s uniform and did not identify himself, entered the side room of the officer on duty.

The official said it was a matter of releasing the vehicle, which was outside the purview of the SHO. “When he was asked to leave the room, he started hurling abuse and said, ‘now see how many people will come’.”

He said that after some time a group of lawyers came to the police station and attacked the gate.

Speaking to media, Rajpar said he came to the police station with his client as there was a dispute over the custody of the vehicle and then approached GM East with a request to hand over the car.

“The guard tortured me, broke my finger and injured my head,” the lawyer said.

After negotiations, a case was initiated against SHO

Following the incident, negotiations began between Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) East, Superintendent of Police (SP) Gulshan-e-Iqbal, President of the Karachi Bar Association Amir Nawaz Warraich and lawyers.

Karachi Bar Association Secretary General Ikhtiar Khanna, speaking to media, said that one of their lawyers had reached the police station to surrender his vehicle.

According to Channa, the officer on duty ordered the investigating officer not to return the vehicle, adding that his lawyer colleague was arrested and tortured.

Following negotiations, President Warraich announced that the duty officer had been suspended and demoted at their request, and criminal proceedings had been initiated against him and the staff.

The lawyers continued to protest until they received a copy of the First Information Report.

The police also reported that the duty officer had behaved inappropriately towards lawyers and that proceedings had been initiated against him for terrorism, attempted murder and torture.

He added that more than 15 police officers participated in the case.