Cops suspended for manhandling women demonstrators in Karachi

Karachi: At least ten police personnel, including Eidgah Station House Officer (SHO) Zaheer Ahmed, on Monday were suspended for manhandling women protesters during a demonstration outside Karachi Press Club on Sunday.

South Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Syed Asad Raza said that departmental inquiry has been initiated against the cops involved in the violence and disciplinary action recommended against two senior police officers deployed on security duty at the Karachi Press Club.

The police in metropolis manhandled and unleashed brutality on peaceful protesters of the "Sindh Rawadari March" on Sunday amid the imposition of Section 144.  

Around a week ago, the civil society had announced holding the SRM at Teen Talwar to condemn last month’s extrajudicial killing of Dr Shahnawaz Kunbhar in Mirpurkhas. He was accused of sharing blasphemous posts on social media.

Their march on Sunday was in protest against the lack of action against the police officials involved in the doctor’s killing, and the increasing trend of religious extremism in Sindh. 

Members of the civil society as well as human rights defenders and activists condemned the act of police brutality towards demonstrators, blaming that the violence was being committed at the behest of the Sindh government.

The use of police force to disperse the protesters was later also condemned by several Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) politicians including senior leader Senator Sherry Rehman, who apologised for the violence on behalf of the party.