Consequences of questioning a major: Lady Lecturer detained for night by police
Ahmad Noorani
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad Airport Police on Tuesday night illegally detained a lady lecturer for the whole night just because she had a minor traffic argument with a Pakistan Army major who called the Military Police and ordered her arrest without any charge or FIR.
Waqar Nisar, Station House Officer of the Airport Police Station, where officials of the Pakistan Army forcibly kept the young lady lecturer for the whole night between Tuesday and Wednesday, told The News that it was the Military Police which ‘asked’ to keep the lady lecturer under arrest and initiate proceedings against her. The incident involved only a Pakistan Army regular officer Maj Tubbassim who was driving in an indecent and recklessness manner and overtook the car of the lady lecturer in a dangerous way. The lady lecturer stopped the car and protested which became a nightmare for her as she was ordered to be arrested and was taken to Police Station Airport.
Sources told The News that after media came to know about the incident on Wednesday morning and presence of Pakistan Army at Airport Police Station, some lady police constables were called to the police station.
“Yes, if some regular army official will quarrel with some civilian in boundary of a police station, that police station is the only legal authority to proceed and take any action allowed under law of the land,” said SHO Police Station Airport Rawalpindi. Waqar further said that he couldn’t utter the name as he didn’t remember but some Military Police officials had contacted him and visited his police station for the action against the lady.
When Waqar was asked under which law of the land he had kept a lady at his police station for the whole night without even registration of the FIR, Waqar simply smiled. “See army official have reached the spot,” Waqar said. Waqar further said that later the lady also gave a written application which was made part of the record. “But, in the morning both the parties agreed not to proceed further, so everything is closed now,” Waqar added.
When asked that after both sides gave application whether army officer Tabbassum also came to the police station or whether the lady was only kept in confinement, he replied that army officer had sent military police officials and he did not come himself.
Asked when the lady was kept at the police station for the whole night she obviously had agreed to go home silently because of immense pressure and treatment she got from Police, Waqar said that both parties took applications back so he couldn’t say anything regarding ‘pressure’.
Asked whether he was ashamed of what had happened at his police station and whether at any point he had the courage to stand against the illegal orders and let the woman go to her home in the night, he simply smiled again and pointed towards the army personnel.
Spokesman of the Pakistan Army and DG-ISPR and other members were approached by The News the whole day on Thursday but there was no response whatsoever despite sending of text messages.
Source: The News
Date:5/27/2011