Peshawar:
Dozens were injured on Friday when police and demonstrators clashed in the region’s capital, Tikal, where the latter demonstrated against police abuses.
The clashes came as the government wrote to the regional judiciary, asking it to investigate reports of police arresting an Afghan citizen, stripping him naked and then torturing him on charges of abusing officers in a video clip.
Several protests and marches were held across the province on Friday to protest the torture of Rafiullah, nicknamed the Emir of Tikal.
The largest protests took place in the Tikal region, outside the Peshawar Press Club and in front of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly building. The demonstrators filled the road from Al-Sadr to the Press Club, closing it to all types of traffic. Former Awami National Party (ANP) regional council member Alamgir Khan Khalil and members of the youth wing of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) also participated in the protest.
They raised banners high condemning police brutality and filming a detainee in a dangerous position and then leaking the video clips. They chanted slogans against the police, demanded a judicial investigation into the case and kept the road closed for about two hours.
As the demonstrators approached the regional council, riot police charged them. Then the demonstrators started throwing stones at the police officers.
To disperse the crowd, the police resorted to firing tear gas bombs.
The clashes resulted in the injury of dozens of demonstrators and police officers.
Meanwhile, protests against police excesses were also held in Mardan, Swabi, Bajaur, Charsadda, Nowshera, Malakand, Lower and Upper Dir, Swat and other southern districts. Lawyers, social workers, students, and local political leaders participated in these protests.
Judicial investigation
In a press conference at the Information Cell of the Civil Secretariat on Friday, Advisor to the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province Ajmal Wazir said that the provincial government had written to the registrar of the Peshawar High Court to nominate a judge who would head a judicial commission of inquiry. Tikal incident under Khyber Pakhwa Court of Inquiry Act.
A minister said that shortly after the video spread on social media, the provincial government took immediate action to suspend and detain the four police personnel involved, including a special police officer. Moreover, the SSP process was removed from office.
He confirmed from the Judicial Committee that the Primary Health Care Committee had been assigned to form the investigation body. He added that the authority will be tasked with identifying those responsible for the accident, and they will be tried later in accordance with the law.
Noting that the committee has been directed to complete its investigation within 15 days, the minister said the government would announce the investigation.
However, the councilor urged the public not to malign the entire police department due to the actions of some
“Misconduct and mistakes committed by a few individuals should not be blamed on the entire police department,” he said, reiterating the enormous sacrifices made by the regional police force in the fight against terrorism apart from serving in the frontlines against the novel coronavirus (Covid). -19) The epidemic.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 27y2020.