Inquiry initiated against Pakistan police officials for harassing Afghans during repatriation

Islamabad: An inquiry has been initiated against the police officials on the Pakistan government's order to take disciplinary action against those found responsible following a complaint by the Afghan Embassy that some Afghans, who are living in Pakistan legally, faced harassment in which a child also allegedly lost his life, according to Dawn.

The complaint was lodged during a meeting held between Afghan Embassy officials and Pakistani authorities in Islamabad earlier this month.

During the meeting, the Afghan officials claimed that two Afghan nationals--Yaseen and Muhammad Ala, who are holders of Proof of Registration (PoR) for Afghan Refugees cards--were harassed and threatened by an official of the Civil Lines police station in Rawalpindi.

The Afghan officials further highlighted that the police officials also demanded money from them, Dawn reported.

They added that an Afghan child, Abdul Rahman, who was also the holder of a PoR card and a resident of Lala Musa, died allegedly from torture by several people when he was collecting the ground money thrown in celebration during a wedding party in Gujrat.

The Afghan officials highlighted that the police registered a "wrong" FIR under Section 322 of PPC instead of under Section 302 (murder) and hence did not punish the suspects, which was an "unfair" decision made by the police.

The Ministry of Interior and Foreign National Security Cell, Islamabad, sent a letter titled "Meeting with Embassy Officials" to the chief secretary and IGP Punjab, Usman Awar following the meeting held at Fata House, Islamabad, regarding the repatriation of Afghans living illegally in Pakistan.

Moreover, the interior ministry further informed the additional chief secretary and IGP Punjab that Abdul Rauf Afzal, SHO of Wahdat Town Police Station, Lahore, harassed an Afghan businessman at Zam Zam Tower, Muslim Town in Lahore and that this was the third time that the SHO had harassed the Afghan nationals, taking them to the police station.

Earlier in November, SHO Afzal took some Afghans to the police station, where the Afghans saved themselves by paying Rs 15,000 indirectly to the police, according to Dawn.

Expressing deep regrets, the interior ministry officials condemned these actions and directed the additional chief secretary and the IGP Punjab to investigate the matter immediately and take strict disciplinary action against the responsible persons. It further asked them to submit a detailed and comprehensive report on these incidents.

Meanwhile, the IGP has given orders to Regional Police Officer Rawalpindi Syed Khurram Ali, RPO Gujranwala, and Capital City Police Officer Lahore Bilal Siddique Kamyana that the issue should be carefully looked into and a detailed report be sent to the IGP office by January 1.

An inquiry has been started against the police officers and officials in Lahore and the official who was accused of harassing Afghans residing legally in Rawalpindi.

(ANI)