The Specialized Investigation Unit (SIU) of Karachi Police raided the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) Garden and arrested four CTD officers on charges of illegally detaining and torturing a citizen and his friends. According to DIG CTD Asif Ijaz Sheikh, the arrested officers - Sub-Inspectors ASI Liaquat, Jahanzeb, and Haris - are accused of detaining Jassim and his friends Umar Farooq, Imran Abdullah, and Osama without legal cause. The officers allegedly subjected the men to physical abuse and extortion. The action follows a complaint filed by Jassim at the Tipu Sultan police station. In his complaint, Jassim alleges that he was pressured by a woman named Noor to repay a debt of 6 lakh 30 thousand rupees. After Noor became unreachable, a man named Shoaib contacted Jassim and arranged a meeting at PECHS. Upon arriving at the designated location, Jassim and his friends were confronted by three armed men who identified themselves as CTD officers from the CTD Garden.

The men, later identified as the arrested officers, forced the group into a police mobile and assaulted them. Jassim further alleges that he was taken to the CTD Garden and separated from his friends. His phone was confiscated, data deleted, and the pin code reset. Meanwhile, a woman named Noor and another man claiming to be a CTD official (later identified as Affan) also arrived at the location. The CTD officers allegedly contacted Jassim's brother, Rashid, and extorted a sum of 4 lakh rupees before releasing him. Jassim was also threatened to sever all contact with Noor. DIG Sheikh confirmed the arrests and stated that the officers will be dismissed from service. The incident highlights the growing concern about police misconduct in Karachi, particularly within the CTD.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan