News Analysis |
In an interesting development, the newly appointed Additional Inspector General of Police Amir Sheikh has directed the police officers in Karachi not to demand nikahnama from any couple. The letter issued by the AIG office stated that “there is a general complaint that policemen in mobiles and motorcycles harass and humiliate couples by asking them to show ‘nikahnama‘ to prove their credentials as husband and wife.”
The letter which addressed the Deputy Inspector Generals (DIG) South, West and East Zones Karachi, Javed Alam Odho, Khadim Hussain Rind, and Amir Farooqui clarified that such actions will not be tolerated in the future. “You are hereby directed to issue strict instructions to the subordinate staff not to demand ‘nikahnama‘ from any person.
In future, such complaints shall not be tolerated and action against supervising officers will also be initiated,” the notification added. Analysts argue that in Pakistan relationship between girls and boys are mostly misunderstood and they often become a threat to the respective families and their honor.
A few students enrolled in Punjab University, Lahore spoke to GVS and told that the police was repeatedly blackmailing them to exert money. “We are being stopped at roads whenever we are with our female friends. They make either photos or videos.
Police officials misuse their authority and blackmail young couples by making their videos and sending it to their families if they don’t pay some money to the police. In recent days, many young boys and girls reported on social media that they were stopped by the police officers and were demanded to show nikahnama. The failure of producing the nikahnama led to threats of being jailed or humiliation before media.
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Similar complaints are also being received in Lahore where police officials are involved in blackmailing young couples. A gang of Punjab police is also reportedly busy in harassing, threatening, and blackmailing young couples in the provincial capital. Pakistan today reported on the eve of October 5th that three police officers stopped a young boy and his friend near Ghalib Market on October 1st. The couple was then threatened and asked to pay some money to avoid any inconvenience.
Meanwhile, the girl managed to send a text to her friend who happened to be a son of provincial minister Mr. Mehmoodur Rashid. A few friends of the couple just reached the scene, took the police officers with them and went away. Later on, the police registered an FIR against the friends of the couple for alleged kidnapping, harassing and threatening the police officers who were on duty.
The letter issued by the AIG office stated that “there is a general complaint that policemen in mobiles and motorcycles harass and humiliate couples by asking them to show ‘nikahnama‘ to prove their credentials as husband and wife.”
On the contrary to the facts, the social media team of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) took up the matter and blamed the son of the provincial minister for allegedly being with a girl in the reprehensible state. The police are conducting an inquiry into the said matter and it is hoped that the responsible officials will be brought before the media and public soon. The Punjab police spokesperson has confirmed that there was an inquiry within the department to probe the incident.
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Although Karachi police have taken the action and have assured the young couples of complete freedom in this regard yet the Punjab government has not taken any actions against such complaints. A few students enrolled in Punjab University, Lahore spoke to GVS and told that the police was repeatedly blackmailing them to exert money. “We are being stopped at roads whenever we are with our female friends. They make either photos or videos.
Girls can’t afford to be filmed publically with a male friend. It’s considered inappropriate in our society, regardless of the casual nature of friendship or acquaintance. Therefore, police get money,” said one of the students. Another student who is studying Sociology at PU has made the same observations and requested authorities to take some serious measures in this regard. “We can’t go outside. They [police] think a girl and boy can’t be friends. This is sickening,” he said.