Videos of Pakistan army personnel torturing police officers from the nation’s Punjab province are doing rounds on the internet and have triggered widespread anger on social media. The clips show the army officials brutally beating the police officers from Punjab’s Bahawalnagar district.
A dispute over the capture of a reportedly illegal weapon is being stated as the reason behind the incident.
In one of the videos, the police officers, dressed in uniforms, were forced to kneel on the ground by the army officials. Another video showed two cops pleading for mercy from the army personnel who were brutally assaulting them.
Two young uniformed police officers were seen in another video footage trying to flee from army forces, but they were eventually caught.
The conflict began on April 8 when a number of police officers entered the family home of army SSG (Special Service Group) commando Khalil. Instead, the soldier and his family are said to have taken the officers, hostage. Khalil, his father Anwar Jat, his siblings, and other family members were arrested for attacking the police party when a bigger police force was sent in to rescue the detained officers.
According to reports, the soldier and his family members were not brought before a court for police remand and were also tortured while in detention.
Bahawalnagar’s District Police Chief, along with other top officials, had tried to intervene and control the situation. But the actions of the Pakistani soldiers were already recorded and shared on social media, sparking a row of comments and outrage from party leaders, activists, and politicians.
The episode brings to light the sensitive nature of the relationship between the military and police in Pakistan, raising questions about power abuse and the necessity of accountability and openness in such situations.
(with inputs from agencies)