GUJRANWALA: A serving army soldier who was home on a monthlong leave, along with his two brothers and father, was tortured by police officers in Gujranwala, leading to a case against seven personnel and their subsequent arrests, a police spokesperson said.
The incident reportedly occurred while soldier Abdul Haq was home on a 28-day leave from his posting in Lahore. According to his father, Zulfiqar Ahmed, the soldier was standing outside a nearby grocery store when Sub-Inspector Muhammad Imran and other officers arrived and began questioning him.
Zulfiqar Ahmed said that the exchange turned into an argument and police attempted to force his son into their vehicle. When nearby residents raised concerns and Abdul Haq’s two brothers arrived, the situation escalated further.
The father said he went to the scene hoping to resolve the dispute but claimed that police assaulted all four family members and took them to a police post. He said that officers beat them inside the facility with plastic pipes and wooden sticks.
According to Zulfiqar Ahmed, relatives eventually contacted the soldier’s military unit, and intervention from the relevant institution helped secure the family’s release.
Muhammad Irfan, a Gujranwala police spokesperson, confirmed that a criminal case was registered on Oct. 10 against seven officers, including Imran, who was in charge of the Alam Chowk police post under Aroop Police Station. Irfan said all seven officers had been arrested and legal proceedings were underway.
Zulfiqar Ahmed said the family underwent medical examinations to document their injuries before the case was registered. He also said that police initially tried to shield the accused officers and claimed that only Imran had been arrested at first.
However, the police spokesperson said all seven officers named in the case were in custody. The allegations of torture have not been independently verified, and the arrests do not establish the officers’ guilt.
Abdul Haq said his family wanted the accused officers dismissed from service and given strict punishment if found responsible for abusing their authority and assaulting the family.
The case adds to continuing concerns about alleged police misconduct. The family has appealed to senior authorities for action against everyone who was involved in the incident.
